Individual, Community, Society—A Metaphorical Study of Modern Funeral Ceremonies in the Guanzhong Region from the Perspective of Rituals

Abstract

Funeral ceremonies, as a form of ritual, possess a series of extensional functions beyond the ceremonies themselves. At the core of funeral ceremonies lies the handling of the deceased's physical body, continually implying transcendent spiritual values to the participants. The educative function of the symbols in funeral ceremony behaviors is realized in the form of non-verbal symbols, with content specifically manifesting on the levels of individual life consciousness and community relationship awareness. The landscape of burial sites, as a tangible outcome of funeral ceremonies, plays a crucial role in sustaining the functions of funeral rituals and contributes to the inheritance of culture and consciousness at the societal collective level.