Life, Death, and rituals, there's a lot of things Chinese people do that is strange and alien to many people. In some ways, it is anachronistic and in other ways, it is a sign of cultural longevity.

For 5,000 years, funerals have happened in similar manners for millions of households, if not billions. There's kneeling, ceremonial bowing, a bit of supplicated crawling to the casket, constant chanting and wailing, and lots of origami paper folding plus burning of the folded paper and ghost money (Origami is a Japanese term, the Chinese had a simpler more ritualistic reason for folding paper, usually for funerals).

Culturally, people gossip during a funeral about other family members, it's the usual affairs with other men/women, adulterous liaisons with bastard kids, insinuations of corruption, un-filial behavior, and pledges of murder against some ancient wrong within the family. Basically, from what I have heard, it's almost like a Jewish family in a way.

Pedigrees are exchanged, people are sized up by education and fashion, and there is an ominous stir of incense that clouds your nasal passages, which evoke runny noses and tears.

That's my grandfather's funeral.