Learn about Funerals in Penang, in Penang Hokkien. There is a reading passage followed by a vocabulary list. The words on this page were compiled with help of members of the Learn Penang Hokkien Facebook Group. You can refer to the input provided on this thread.

Passage on Funeral in Penang

Peng2 Sniah2 Hokkien wa3: Lang3si4 ti1 Penang A33si33 lu4 uh3 ki3hoay3 khee3 Tng3 Lang2-eh3 lang3si4 ti1 Penang, lu4 than1 khnua3 cin3 ce33 ho3 khuan4 eh3 ceh3meh2. Ceh3meh2 e33 co3 ti1 chu3 a33si33 pun4 ti1 si1lang3keng1. Uh3 leh2 ba3lu1 cit3 meh2 nia2, tun1 uh3 leh2 kau3ka1 snar3 meh2 a33si33 gor33* meh2. Te3-it1 tua3 eh3 si1lang3keng1 ti1 Penang tua3 ti1 Batu Gantong, Paek3 Hoon3 Snua1 kah1 Batu Lanchang.

Ha1ku4-eh3 si2, lang3 khah1 ce33 yong33 Tng3 Lang2-eh3 knua3cha2, co3 ka1 tua3 te3 eh3 knua3cha3pang1. Tha1na1 nee4, khah1 ce33 lang2 yong33 Ang3mor3 knua3cha2.

A33si33 koay1sin1-eh3 lang2-eh3 kae3teng2 pai1 To3kau3, ie1lang2 chnia3 Sai3 Kong1. ta33-ta33 hang3 Sai3 Kong1 liam3 si33 yong33 boon3 thark1-eh3 Hokkien wa3. Cit1-leh3 wa3 boh3 siang33ka1 phor3thong1 yong33 eh3 Hokkien. To1kau3-eh3 lang3si4 cin3 hock1cap1 kokh1 te3-it1 kui3. Sai3 Kong1-eh3 kang1 tok33 si33 chua33 heh1-leh1 si4 liau4 eh3 lang3 koay3 khee3 kokh1 cit3 peng2 eh3 Se1kai3, hor33 heh1-leh1 si4 liau4 eh2 koay3 heh1-leh1 kio2. Sai3 Kong1 liam3ciu3 eh3 si2, si1lang2-eh3 kae3teng2 ceh3 ti1 ie1 eh3 au33bin33. Uh3 si2, ie1 chua33 ie1lang3 sek1 kuan1.

Tha1na1-eh3 lang2 uh3 leh2 khah1 ai1 co3 Hut3kau3-eh3 lang3si4. Cit1 khuan4 eh3 lang3si4 tok3 khah1 pan3gee2. Ie1lang2 chnia4 cit1-khien2 hoay3sniau3 lai3 liam3keng1. Uh3 tun4 jip3 Kau3-eh3 lang2 co3 Kau1terng2-eh3 lor33. Ie1lang2 chio1 kua1, o3lo4 koay1sin1-eh3 lang2, kah1 kong1 to3li4.

To3kau3-eh3 lang3si4 cin3cnia1 luan3 eh2. Ka1liau1 lang2 lai3 sang2sng2. A33si33 heh1-leh1 kae1 e33 cai3tiau3, ie1lang2 tok3 chnia3 cit1-leh1 band lai3 chua1 thau2. Kor3ca4-eh3 si2, lang3 tun1 uh3 chnia3 hau1lam2 lai3 hau4 tua3-tua3 sniah1. Si1lang3chia1 knia3 eh3 si2, ka1liau3 si1lang2-eh2 kae3lai3 lang2 toay3 ti1 au3bin33. Ti1 kam1pong1, khah1 ce33 boh3 yong33 si1lang3cnia1. Ka1liau4 kam1pong1-eh3 ta3por1-eh3 lang3 cham3-cham1 lai3 keng1 knua3cha1.

Tua1ha3-eh3 lang2 cheng3 or3sna1 co3 ka1 chor3por3. hau33snaeh1 kah1 cau1wa4 tun1 cheng3 gu4ni4sna1 kio3 co1 mua3. Soon3na4 cheng3 chor3por3-eh3 tua1ha3sna1. Kim3khi3 be33sai1 cheng3. Kiet3 ti1 chiu1wni4 si33 cit3-tay1 uh3 sek3-eh3 por3. Heh1-leh1 por3-eh3 sek3 hor33 lang3 cai1 ie1 si33 koay1sin1-eh3 lang2-eh3 cui33-cui33. A33si33 si1lang2 si33 ta3por1, heh1-leh1 por3 kiet3 ti1 to1chiu1peng2. A23si33 ca3bor4, kiet1 ti1 cnia1chiu1peng2.

Si1lang2-eh3 kae3lai3lang2 kiet1 gu3ni3por3, gua3soon1 kiet1 lam3 por3, ci3cit1 kiet1 ang3por3. A33si33 si1lang2-eh3 knia1soon1 thnui2 lok1 gor33 can3, ka1liau1lang2 tua1ha3 cheng2 ang2, eng3-goay33 heh1-leh1 lang2 ho1 hock1khi3 than1 ciak3 a1nae1 lau3.

Sang1sng1 liau4, hau33snaeh1 kah1 cau1wa4 kokh1 kiet3 cit1-tay3 por3 ti1 chiu1wni4. Ie1lang2 kiet3 paek1-or3-paek1-eh3 por3 a33si33 cheng3 or3sna1, or1-paek1-or1-eh3 por3 a33si33 cheng3 paek3 sna1. Lai3soon1 kiet1 chor3 por3 ti1 or3sna1, or3 por3 ti1 paek3 sna1. Gua3soon1 cheng3 tang3lam2.

Ku3ca4-eh3 si2, lang3 tua1ha3 kau3ka1 snar3 ni2, ta3pi1 khah1 ce33 lang2 tua1ha3 cit3-pak1 jit1. Tha1na1 nee4, sang1sng2 tnui4 lai2 nia4, lang3 tok1 cit3thau3 wna3 khee3 phor1thong1-eh3 sna1 liau4.

* Tone 3 unsandiable morphemes are written with the tone 33. For details, read unsandiable morphemes.

English: Chinese Funerals in Penang If you have the opportunity to attend a Chinese funeral wake in Penang, you will see that there are different types of wakes. Wakes can be held either at home or in a funeral parlour. It can be as short as one night, or can extend for several nights, usually three or five. Among the main funeral parlours in Penang are the ones at Batu Gantong, Mount Erskine and Batu Lanchang.

In the old days, the deceased would be placed in a Chinese-style coffin, which is carved from massive pieces of lumber. Nowadays, most people opt for the Western style coffin.

If the family members are Taoist, there will be a priest presiding over the funerary rites. This is often conducted in literary Hokkien, where many words have different pronunciation from the vernacular speech of everyday usage. As Taoist funerals are quite elaborate, it is usually the most expensive funeral arrangement.

The duty of the priest is to guide the spirit of the deceased safely into the Afterlife. This involves crossing a bridge over a river that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead. The mourners, who are direct descendant family members have to sit behind the priest during the service. At various intervals, the priest will lead them to circumambulate the bier.

Some people today prefer to hold a Buddhist-style wake, with a monk reciting chants. This is simpler and usually cost less than the Taoist version. The Christians have their own style of wake that includes the singing of funerary dirges, the sharing of eulogies and a message.

Chinese funerals, particularly the Taoist version, is a very noisy affair. There would be a funeral procession. If the family can afford it, they may hire a funeral band to march ahead of the cortege. In the old days, some families also hire professional cryers to increase the volume of the wailing and moaning. Family members follow behind the hearse. In the village, it is customary for the coffin to be carried by the villagers instead of using a hearse.

Mourners usually wear a black attire made of coarse material. In addition, the sons and daughters done sackcloth made of jute, while grandchildren wear calico. All jewelleries are removed. Pinned to the sleeves of their mourning clothes are pieces of coloured cloth that indicate the relationship of the mourners to the deceased. This is pinned to the left sleeve if the deceased is a male, and the right sleeve if the person is a female.

The cloth can be a piece of sackcloth for immediate family members, a blue piece of cloth for maternal grandchildren and a red piece of cloth for great grandchildren. It the deceased has a progeny going down five generations, all mourners wear red instead of black, to celebrate the longevity of the deceased.

After the funeral, the sons and daughters will continue to wear pieces of cloth pinned to their sleeves. Sons and daughters wear a rectangular piece with a white-black-white stripes to contrast the black shirt they wear. Black-white-black piece is used if they wear a white shirt. Similarly, children of sons (lai3soon1) wear calico (black shirt) and black (white shirt). Children of daughters (gua3soon1) wear royal blue.

Last time people mourn for as much as three years though traditionally, most people observe a mourning period lasting 100 days. Nowadays some people switch to everyday clothes immediately after the funeral.

Bahasa Melayu: Upacara Pengebumian Orang Cina di Pulau Pinang Sekiranya anda berpeluang menghadiri suatu majlis kematian orang Cina di Pulau Pinang, anda akan dapati pelbagai jenis majlis sebegini. Biasanya ia diadakan di rumah atau di salon pengebumian. Majlis ini berlangsung selama sekurang-kurangnya semalam, ataupun sebanyak tiga hingga lima malam berturutan. Salong pengebumian Cina yang utama di Pulau Pinang terdapat di Batu Gantung, Mount Erskine dan Batu Lanchang.

Pada masa lampau keranda Cina digunakan. Ini diperbuat daripada kepingan papan yang besar. Sekarang ini, kebanyakan orang memilih keranda mirip barat.

Sekiranya keluarga si mati menganut agama Tao, seorang sami Tao diupah menjalankan upacara kematian. Segala bacaan doa disebut dalam bahasa Hokkien sastera yang tidak mudah difahami. Oleh sebab upacara Tao penuh ketelitian, ia juga yang paling mahal. Tugas sami adalah memimpin roh si mati ke dunia yang sebelah. Ini melibatkan si mati menyeberangi jambatan merentas sungai yang memisahkan dunia orang yang hidup daripada dunia mereka yang sudah mati. Ahli keluarga yang berkabung duduk di belakang sami. Pada masa-masa tertentu, sami akan mengiring mereka tawaf jenazah.

Sesetengah orang Cina hari ini memilih cara agama Buddha. Ini lebih ringkas dan kosnya juga kurang berbanding cara agama Tao. Orang Kristian pula mempunyai gaya mereka sendiri yang termasuk nyanyian gita kematian, kata-kata aluan dan khutbah.

Majlis pengebumian orang Cina, terutamanya mereka yang menganut agama Tao, merupakan suatu perarakan yang agak riuh. Sekiranya kaum keluarga mampu, mereka boleh mengupah band untuk memainkan lagu-lagu takziah di hadapan rombongan jenazah itu. Pada zaman lampau, ada juga yang mengupah tukang tanggis untuk meningkatkan tahap tanggisan and laungan. Di kawasan kampung, adalah menjadi kebiasaan untuk keranda dipikul oleh kaum lelaki menggantikan kereta mayat.

Mereka yang berkabung biasanya memakai pakaian hitam diperbuat daripada bahan kasar . Di samping itu, anak-anak lelaki dan perempuan si mati memakai kain kabung diperbuat daripada jut, manakala cucu memakai pakaian kain kasar. Barang kemas tidak dibenarkan pakai. Tersemat kepada lengan pakaian mereka adalah cebisan kain berwarna yang menunjukkan pertalian mereka dengan si mati. Ini disematkan pada lengan kiri jika si mati seorang lelaki, dan lengan kanan jika dia orang perempuan.

Ahli keluarga terdekat menyemat kain jut. Cucu pihak ibu menyemat secebis kain biru sementara cicik pula menyemat kain merah. Kalau si mati mempunyai anak cucu sebanyak lima generasi, semua orang yang berkabung akan memakai pakaian merah untuk meraikan hayatnya yang panjang.

Selepas pengebumian, anak-anak si mati akan terus memakai cebis kain tersematkan kepada lengan baju. Ini berbentuk empat segi tepat dengan jalur putih-hitam-putih pada baju hitam, dan hitam-putih-hitam pada baju putih. Begitu juga , cucu lelaki kepada anak lelaki pula menyemat belacu pada baju hitam dan cebis hitam pada baju putih. Cucu lelaki kepada anak perempuan pula memakai pakaian berwarna biru tua.

Dahulunya orang Cina berkabung selama tiga tahun, walaupun pada kebiasaannya, orang Cina berkabung selama seratus hari. Kini, kebanyakan orang bertukar kepada pakaian harian sebaik sahaja kembali dari majlis pengebumian.

Vocabulary

  1. bong3 [bɔŋ] : (noun) grave
    kubor

  2. bong3pai2 [bɔŋ-pai] : (noun) tombstone
    batu nisan

  3. ceh3meh2 [tse-mɛ] : (noun) funeral wake
    majlis kematian

  4. Cheng3 Beng2 [tsheŋ-beŋ] : (noun) Qing Ming Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Chinese All-Souls Day
    Hari Pembersihan Kubor

  5. chut1snua1 [tshut-suã] : (noun) funeral
    upacara pengebumian

  6. hau1lam2 [hau-lam] : (noun) professional cryer
    penangis upahan

  7. hoay3sniau3 [hoe-siãu] : (verb) monk
    sami

  8. Hut3 Kau3 [hut-kau] : (noun) Buddhism
    Hut3 Kau3

  9. khi1snua1 [khi-suã] : (verb) to carry the coffin up the mountains, as part of the funeral process
    menangkat keranda naik bukit, sebahagian daripada process pengebumian

  10. khiok1kim1 [khioʔ-kim] : (verb) to collect the relics after cremation
    mengumpul peninggalan sekepas pembakaran mayat

  11. knua3cha2 [kuã-tsha] : (noun) coffin
    keranda

  12. knua3cha3chia1 [kuã-tsha-tshia] : (noun) hearse
    kereta mayat

  13. koay1sin1 [koe-sin] : (verb) to pass away
    meninggal dunia

  14. Kong3 Teik3 [kɔŋ-teiʔ] : (noun) transference of merits, part of Taoist funerary rites
    upacara pemindahan alim, sebahagian daripada upacara pengebumian fahaman Taoist

  15. Kong3 Teik1 chu3 [kɔŋ-teiʔ-tshu] : (noun) replica house made of paper used as part of the Kong Teik rite
    rumah diperbuat daripada kertas yang digunakan dalam upacara Kong Teik

  16. kong1 to3li4 [kɔŋ-to-li] : (noun) to give a sermon
    memberi khutbah

  17. lang3 si4 [laŋ-si] : (noun) death
    kematian

  18. liam3keng1 [liam-keŋ] : (verb) to chant
    membaca puja

  19. paek3kim1 [pɛʔ-kim] : (noun) condolence offering
    pemberian takziah

  20. Sai3 Kong1 [sai-kɔŋ] : (verb) Taoist priest, funeral master
    imam Tao, pengetua upacara pengebumian

  21. sang1sng1 [saŋ-sŋ] : (verb) to send off the deceased during the funeral
    menghantar yang meninggal semasa upacara pengebumian

  22. sau1bong3 [sau-bɔŋ] : (verb) to clean the graves during Qing Ming
    membersihkan kubor, semasa Qing Ming

  23. sek1kuan1 [sʔ-kuan] : (verb) to go around the coffin, part of Taoist funerary rite
    mengelilingi keranda, sebahagian daripada upacara pengebumian Taoist

  24. si4 [si] : (verb) to die
    mati

  25. si1lang2 [si-laŋ] : (noun) corpse
    mayat

  26. si1lang3chu3 [si-laŋ-tshu] : (noun) mortuary
    rumah mayat

  27. si1lang3keng1 [si-laŋ-keŋ] : (noun) funeral parlour
    salon pengebumian

  28. sio1 [sio] : (verb) to burn
    membakar

  29. sio1 kha3boey1cua4 [sio-kha-boe-tsua] : (verb) to burn joss paper at the foot of the deceased
    membakar kertas colok di bawah kaki si mati

  30. taek1cua4 [sau-bɔŋ] : (verb) to place special coloured paper to the graves during Qing Ming
    meletakkan kertas warna khas untuk Qing Ming

  31. tai2 [tai] : (verb) to bury
    mengebumi

  32. To3 Kau3 [to-kau] : (noun) Taoism
    agama Tao

  33. tua3chu3 [tua-tshu] : (verb) coffin
    keranda

  34. tua1ha3 [tua-ha] : (verb) to mourn
    berkabung

View full list of Penang Hokkien Vocabulary

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