Vietnamese Burials

The Vietnamese country side is covered with cemeteries packed full of grand tombstones and mausoleums intricately designed, so I had to inquire my DMZ tour guide about them. As explained to me by her, a traditional Vietnamese burial is extremely complex and time consuming.

First the person is buried in a simple coffin just outside the walls of the cemetery. There the body rests and rots for 3 years to reflect on the wrong doings of the individuals life. After that 3 year period the coffin is exhumed never by family, but rather random locals. The bones are then cleansed and put into the final intricate tombs or mausoleums. These tombs however are never sealed and contain openings so that the spirit can be free.

The kicker is that during your 3 years of waiting in repentance, if another member of your family dies you then have to wait for their 3 years as well. If another family member dies the process continues and continues leaving the spirit trapped in its tiny coffin outside the cemetery, waiting for their second burial and freedom. I guess before you die make sure everyone else is in good health!