Everything about Death Anniversary totally explained
A
death anniversary (also called
death day or
deathday) is a custom observed in several Asian cultures including
China,
India,
Japan,
Korea, and
Vietnam, as well as in other nations with significant overseas
Chinese,
Japanese,
Korean, and
Vietnamese populations. Like a
birthday, it's celebrated each year, but instead of on the date of birth of the individual being celebrated, it's celebrated on the day on which a family member or other significant individual
died. There are also similar memorial services that are held at different intervals, such as every week.
Although primarily a manifestation of
ancestor worship, the tradition has also been associated with
Confucianism and
Buddhism (in
East Asian cultural civilizations) or
Hinduism (
South Asia but mainly in
India).
China
In China, a death anniversary is called
jìchén or
jìrì . This type of ceremony dates back thousands of years in China (at least to the
Shang Dynasty) and historically involved making sacrifices to the spirits of one's ancestors.
India
In India, a death anniversary is known as
shraadh.
Japan
In Japan, a death anniversary is called
meinichi (kanji: ),
kishin (kanji: ), or
kijitsu or
kinichi (kanji: ). Monthly observances of a death are known as
tsuki meinichi (kanji: ), while annual anniversaries are known as
shōtsuki meinichi (kanji: ).
Korea
In Korea, ancestor worship ceremonies are referred to by the generic term
jerye (hangul: 제례; hanja: ). Notable examples of
jerye include
Munmyo jerye and
Jongmyo jerye, which are performed periodically each year for venerated
Confucian scholars and kings of ancient times, respectively.
The ceremony held on the anniversary of a family member's death is called
gije (hangul: 기제; hanja: ), and is celebrated by families as a private ceremony. For such occasions, the women of the family traditionally prepare an elaborate set of dishes, including
tteok,
jeon,
jeok, and so forth.
Vietnam
In Vietnam, a death anniversary is called,
ngày giỗ (literally "
giỗ day"),
đám giỗ (literally "
giỗ ceremony"), or
bữa giỗ (literally "
giỗ meal"). It is a festive occasion, at which members of an extended family gather together. Female family members traditionally spend the entire day cooking an elaborate banquet in honor of the deceased individual, which will then be enjoyed by all the family members. In addition, sticks of
incense are burned in honor and commemoration of the deceased person. It isn't unusual for a family to celebrate several
giỗ per year, so the ceremony serves as a time for families to reunite, much like the Vietnamese new year,
Tết. The rituals are the responsibility of whoever inherits the ancestral estates, typically the deceased's most senior
patrilineal descendant.
Although a
giỗ is usually a private ceremony attended only by family members (and occasionally also close friends), some are commemorated by large segments of the population. The commemoration of the in
Hung Kings (
Giỗ tổ Hùng Vương), the legendary founders of the first Vietnamese kingdom in Vietnam's remote past, and of the
Trung Sisters are widely participated. In March 2007
Giỗ tổ Hùng Vương became a
public holiday in Vietnam.
(External Link
) As in all traditional commemorations, the
Chinese calendar is used.
In Vietnamese culture, certain special, traditional dishes (particularly desserts) are only prepared for death anniversary banquets. In addition, favorite foods of the deceased person being honored are also prepared.
Chicken, a particularly prized meat in Vietnam, is often cooked as well. In Central Vietnam, small stuffed
glutinous rice flour balls wrapped in leaves called
bánh ít are such a dish. Because the preparation of so many complex dishes is complex and time-consuming, some families purchase or hire caterers to prepare certain dishes.
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