Chinese Funeral Traditions and Language in Kung Fu: A Closer Look

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the representation of Chinese funeral traditions and language as depicted in the U.S. television series Kung Fu, particularly in a specific scene involving a funeral ceremony. Participants explore the authenticity of the dialect spoken, the historical accuracy of the depicted practices, and the differences between traditional and modern Chinese funeral customs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the dialect spoken during the funeral scene, with one suggesting it may be Mandarin while another proposes it could be Cantonese.
  • A participant's wife interprets the phrase "Ching bai" as meaning "please bow," indicating a possible connection to Mandarin.
  • Another participant shares insights from a friend who believes the show portrays a traditional Chinese funeral likely practiced around the 1900s, noting that practices in the 1800s may have differed.
  • Discussion includes the significance of couplets in Chinese funerals, with one participant mentioning that they often contain eight characters, reflecting cultural beliefs about luck.
  • Participants note differences between historical and modern Chinese funeral practices, such as the use of white candles and the burning of paper items for the deceased.
  • There is mention of the character for respect and person being recognized on the banners, but uncertainty remains about the full text.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the dialect spoken and the historical accuracy of the funeral practices depicted. There is no consensus on the authenticity of the language or the specific customs represented in the show.

Contextual Notes

Some participants acknowledge limitations in their knowledge of Chinese funeral customs and the historical context, indicating that their insights are based on personal experiences or interpretations rather than comprehensive historical understanding.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in Chinese culture, language, and historical practices, as well as fans of the Kung Fu television series, may find this discussion relevant.

Ouabache
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I wonder if there are some folks in our PF community knowlegable of Chinese, to help interpret some spoken language. If you know Chinese history and culture that will be very helpful.

In the U.S. television series Kung Fu, it depicts some experiences of Chinese immigrants in the late 1800s, in the old West of the U.S. In this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kNyI3IaIgo", they are speaking Chinese during a funeral ceremony (1:21 to 4:15).

Can you understand what dialect they are speaking? Do you think this was an authentic dialect for the period (late 1800s)? What are they saying?

They are dressed in light colored hoods and holding some banners. Does this appear to be historically accurate? Was this a typical funeral ceremony for late 1800s? Are Chinese funeral ceremonies much different today?

Can you tell what is written on the vertical banners?
 
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Ouabache said:
I wonder if there are some folks in our PF community knowlegable of Chinese, to help interpret some spoken language. If you know Chinese history and culture that will be very helpful.

In the U.S. television series Kung Fu, it depicts some experiences of Chinese immigrants in the late 1800s, in the old West of the U.S. In this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kNyI3IaIgo", they are speaking Chinese during a funeral ceremony (1:21 to 4:15).

Can you understand what dialect they are speaking? Do you think this was an authentic dialect for the period (late 1800s)? What are they saying?

They are dressed in light colored hoods and holding some banners. Does this appear to be historically accurate? Was this a typical funeral ceremony for late 1800s? Are Chinese funeral ceremonies much different today?

Can you tell what is written on the vertical banners?
It's obvious that the chanter is not a native speaker of Chinese. My wife says that the first two words he spoke, "Ching bai", mean please bow. Those were the only words she could understand. She speaks Mandarin so perhaps he was speaking Cantonese. She thinks it is not Cantonese but she can't be sure. The only characters she recognized on the banners were characters for respect and person. However, I saw the character for hand myself. She said that the hoods are authentic and she has seen them since she was a child. However she doesn't know about that time and place.
 
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David Carradine was found dead this morning in Bangkok, an apparent suicide. He was 72.
 
jimmysnyder said:
David Carradine was found dead this morning in Bangkok, an apparent suicide. He was 72.
:frown: Nuts. :frown:

RIP David, and thanks.
 
Thank you Jimmy, for your wife's interpretation. A friend of mine originally from Hong Kong, just sent me her thoughts. Her native dialect is Cantonese but also understands Mandarin.

I have paraphrased them here:

Old Chinese Funeral
The show is portraying a traditional Chinese funeral probably practiced around the 1900s in rural China. Funeral ceremonies were a little different in the 1800s but I have only observed them in films. The Chinese history class I’ve taken, did not teach us these kinds of details.

Language
They are speaking Mandarin.

What was spoken & reaction.
The Chinese man called the names of the dead and the relatives & friends bowed.

Couplets
Chinese believe the number eight is lucky, so couplets often contain 8 characters, 4 characters per line. The text on one of the couplets reads "person died young but their soul will live forever". I can only see 2 characters on another vertical banner which reads "people (or person) respect" For funerals, the couplets will be in black and white, as compared to Chinese New Year when the couplets are in black and red.

Modern Chinese Funeral
Funerals are a little different today. We do not stand up and have candles on the ground. We burn white candles and incense sticks in a burner. We put fruits and other food items on a plate and place it in front of a big photograph of the dead person. Both men and women still wear the white hood (today made of rayon). We also burn paper houses, clothes, cars, watches, etc. for the dead person and believe that the dead person will receive these items and will live comfortably in heaven.

I'm sorry to learn David Carradine died. For those who didn't know. He played the adult character, 虔官昌 Qián Guānchāng pronounced Caine Kwai Chang, a Shaolin-Buddhist monk, in the movie and television series Kung Fu. It is customary for a Chinese surname (last name), to be spoken first. His brother Keith played the teenage Caine.
 
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