Flowers for Asian Funerals Customs, Traditions, and Etiquette

Posted on 04/02/2022

Sending Sympathy Flowers for Asian Funerals

When attending any funeral, you will want to do so while respecting the customs and traditions of the deceased. Respect and also honour the wishes of the deceased’s relatives. Westernised funerals have customs that you will undoubtedly be familiar with, but what to do if you are attending the funeral held by an Asian family? Here you will find valuable information about Asian funeral customs, traditions, and etiquette that will help you navigate unfamiliar scenarios at this delicate time.

Flowers at an Asian Funeral

Flowers are undoubtedly one of the key components of a funeral in Western culture. However, flower delivery and florists play a huge part in Asian funerals also. However, it is essential to understand that there are many different cultures, religions, and traditions within Asian communities. This means researching things such as whether or not it is appropriate to have flowers delivered to the deceased’s family home and which flowers are appropriate symbols to include.

Flowers at a Chinese Funeral

Colour plays a significant part in Chinese culture and this extends to the colour of flowers used at funerals. In Westernised cultures, red roses are a popular choice for funerals, even though these could be considered by many to be romance flowers. However, although roses are acceptable at Chinese funerals, they should be white and not red. Lilies and chrysanthemums are very popular options for Chinese funerals and are usually white or yellow. If you are attending a Chinese funeral and are travelling from some distance to attend, you may consider next day flower delivery or same day flower delivery to the venue. However, in this culture, artificial flowers are also acceptable tokens of respect, especially if you are coming from afar to attend.

Flowers at a Japanese Funeral

Flowers are actually not usual at Japanese funerals. In fact, the custom at Japanese funerals is to give “Koden”, which is a monetary gesture towards the funeral expenses. Yet, it is not completely frowned upon to gift flowers but if you choose to do so, make sure they are either white or yellow. White or yellow chrysanthemums or lilies are great choices to buy from flower shops for Japanese funerals. Although in some cultures, chrysanthemums are considered cheap flowers, this is not the case when sending flowers to a Japanese funeral. Large floral wreaths, known as Hanawa are also considered traditional flowers to send to Japanese funerals and will be buried with the deceased.

Flowers at a Korean Funeral

It is usually businesses that send flowers at Korean funerals, and mourners are not expected to send any floral tributes. Always check with the family of the deceased or the funeral organiser before sending any flowers.

Being Respectful to Religions at Asian Funerals

There are assorted religions practiced on the continent of Asia, and it is important to respect the religion of the deceased and their families when sending flowers. For example, at Buddhist funerals, white flowers may be accepted if the family wants flowers to be included. Red flowers symbolise joy and so should not be gifted at this time. In Hinduism, although flowers play a significant part in funerals, mourners are not expected to contribute.

If you are unsure about sending flowers, check with the persons organising the funeral before sending any floral tributes. Should you be uncomfortable approaching the immediate family of the deceased, you should be able to contact the funeral parlour or venue where the funeral will be taking place. The venue will be happy to help.