The wake was set up on Day 2. By afternoon, the body was carried down and placed into the coffin, all dressed up in her clothes. We were dressed in our mourning clothes (different colours black, blue and green to differentiate ourselves according to seniority in the family) and were busy setting up the place, receiving the wreaths and hanging up the blankets sent by friends and companies. Not many people came visiting that day for afterall, it was still chinese new year...
On Day 3, we had to prepare the things needed (e.g. folding lots and lots of incense papers into ignots, refilling the plates with peanuts, towels and red paper with coin to be given out on the last day). It was full seats at night, occupied by friends and colleagues. Thanks for the condolences and contributions!
There was a ritual on the 4th night where family members have to kneel, bow and offer incense to her. There were 5 rounds altogether but I was excused after 2 rounds. Then, we burnt paper money, houses, cars and gold/silver mountains to her and this marked the end of the ritual.
The 5th day was the procession day. As Ah Ma's wish was to have a grand ceremony, we arranged for music band, big-head doll dance troop, fruits offering ceremony (offered by the son-in-laws and grandson-in-laws), final ritual and an extravagant funeral parade vehicle to send her off to the crematorium.
Next day, we collected the ashes and stored the urn at the columbaria niche.
The seventh day was the day the soul was supposed to return home. My 2nd aunt claimed to have seen her (radiant and sitting on her bed chatting with her).
This was not the end, every seventh day of the week, we had to pray and provide offerings to her until the seventh week. There were also rules to follow until the 100 days (about 3 months). Heard from my uncles and dad that because Ah Ma has a blessed life when she was alive (7 generations), that's why red candles were used on her altar and only two joss sticks were needed during offering. So, maybe we don't have to follow the rules very strictly?
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