A Comparative Study of Chinese and Europe Funeral Etiquette and Customs: Ming Dynasty and Renaissance

Abstract

In the late Middle Ages, China and Europe attached great importance to matters related to people’s burial after death, and the religious and secular rulers in the two regions were no exception. The mausoleum system in the two places is generally composed of written inscriptions and visual stone carvings of cemetery statues. By the comparative research, we can find that inscriptions of Chinese emperors in Ming Dynasty highlight the emperor’s personal achievements and family continuity characterized by filial piety, while inscriptions on papal tombs in Renaissance period highlight whether what the pope did as a Christian was in line with God's will. These both are the most important part in their ruling, especially for its own continuation.