Laughter in the Face of Death: The Concept of Good Death and Its Cultural Expressions in Korean Funeral Rituals
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While funerals are traditionally solemn occasions in Confucian ideology, Korean funeral rituals also displayed elements of playfulness or festivity. Previous studies have often interpreted this playfulness as a remnant of local traditions, contrasting with the prevailing Confucian approach to funeral rituals characterized by grief and sorrow. Drawing on ethnographic research in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do during the mid to late 20th century, this study examines the playfulness in Korean funeral rituals as an innate aspect of the ritual itself. Funerals in this period involved abundant food and vigorous social exchanges between family members and condolers from around the village. The concept of good death (hosang), which generally denotes one’s passing after a long life and under stable economic and family conditions, mitigated the solemnity of funerals and allowed playfulness to manifest within the ritual. This gave rise to various expressive forms, including playing with the bier the night before the burial, adhering to playful behavior norms shared by participants, and fostering a festive atmosphere where jokes and laughter were permissible. With detailed descriptions, this study illustrates how the concept of good death influenced the practice of funeral rituals, enabling diverse cultural expressions to emerge.
Abstract
While funerals are traditionally solemn occasions in Confucian ideology, Korean funeral rituals also displayed elements of playfulness or festivity. Previous studies have often interpreted this playfulness as a remnant of local traditions, contrasting with the prevailing Confucian approach to funeral rituals characterized by grief and sorrow. Drawing on ethnographic research in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do during the mid to late 20th century, this study examines the playfulness in Korean funeral rituals as an innate aspect of the ritual itself. Funerals in this period involved abundant food and vigorous social exchanges between family members and condolers from around the village. The concept of good death (hosang), which generally denotes one’s passing after a long life and under stable economic and family conditions, mitigated the solemnity of funerals and allowed playfulness to manifest within the ritual. This gave rise to various expressive forms, including playing with the bier the night before the burial, adhering to playful behavior norms shared by participants, and fostering a festive atmosphere where jokes and laughter were permissible. With detailed descriptions, this study illustrates how the concept of good death influenced the practice of funeral rituals, enabling diverse cultural expressions to emerge.
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