1. It is taboo to die without relatives by your side
In the old days, people attached great importance to passing on the family line. They believed that when an old man passed away, there must be children and grandchildren present, so that there would be someone to see the old man off when he passed away, so that he would not be alone. . The old man does not have to worry about himself in the underworld, and his soul can find peace.
If the old man dies in the presence of all his relatives, it is the greatest blessing. According to legend, the Bai people believe that when an old man dies in the arms of his children and grandchildren, it is the children and grandchildren who repay the kindness of raising him, which is commonly known as receiving breath.
2. It is taboo to let the deceased go naked
Many places in the north insist that the deceased should put on the burial clothes before dying, and the deceased should not be allowed to leave naked. Therefore, in the old days, after the elderly reached a certain age, their children and grandchildren would often prepare shrouds for them in leap months, so that the elderly could look at them with peace of mind.
The number and texture of the shroud are very particular: the number of pieces should be odd, such as five, seven, or nine, and even numbers should be avoided for fear of disaster coming again; satin should be avoided as a material. Satin and Duanzi are homophonic, and silk is mostly used because silk and Chouzi have the same pronunciation, which means blessing future generations with many children; the shroud cannot yet be made of fur, for fear of turning into a beast in the next life.