In the West, when a loved one passes, we grieve, we honor them with a funeral, then we get on with our lives. In Vietnam, honoring one’s ancestors is a larger part of life. And for some traditional families in the north, when, say, grandpa passes on, that includes doing the right things with grandpa’s bones.
Modern times, for better or for worse, have come to southern Vietnam. But here in the north, especially out in the country, change comes slowly. That applies to the way one lives, but also to what happens afterwards.
On a drive from Ha Long Bay to Hanoi, we passed through Bát Tràng – an area known for its high-quality terracotta pottery and ceramics. Roadside shops had them on display. Signs advertised side-trips to nearby pottery villages.
It reminded me of terracotta pottery I’ve seen in Mexico. I don’t know about the pottery in Mexico, but I was surprised to learn that some of the pieces here were made specifically for use as burial containers. Whoa.
Bát Tràng Pottery
The clay in this part of the Red River valley is fine-grained, with a high silica content – ideal for making pottery and ceramics. And in Bát Tràng, the clay is rich in iron oxide.
Clay rich in iron oxide can be made into pottery that’s dense and extremely water-resistant – perfect for burial containers.
When grandpa passes away, his body is buried, just like it might be the West. The family can use a wooden coffin or a ceramic container. But that’s just one stop along the way. After three years or so, when the time is deemed to be right, grandpa’s remains will be exhumed.
Enter the Geomancer
A geomancer will be called in to help the family determine when the time for reburial is right and where the final resting place should be. The final resting place isn’t thought of as just a grave. It’s a node through which ancestral energy will flow.
Think of the Chinese principle of feng shui. It’s used in home design and decor to create spaces where positive energy flows easily. The geomancer uses similar principles to optimize the location of the final resting place. Instead of considering the position of doors and windows, he’s thinking of landscapes, fields, water, and the moon and stars.
Three years after the initial burial, there should be nothing left of grandpa except for his bones. The family digs up the initial burial container and recovers them. Then the bones are carefully – reverently – washed with alcohol and water mixed with fragrant herbs.
The idea is to purify grandpa’s bones before their final rest. One can imagine the emotion and spirituality involved in this step.
When the bones have been purified, they’re carefully placed in a special ceramic burial container. This container will be buried in a new, smaller grave that will be grandpa’s final resting place. Stored inside a special ceramic burial container from this area, the bones will be protected from the elements for a long, long time.
This process isn’t just important for helping grandpa’s spirit rest in peace. If things aren’t done well, it could mean trouble for the family down the road. But if the process is done well, it bodes well for the family’s future.
Let the positive ancestral energy flow!
To be continued…
