Old meets New, East meets West: the fusion of grief experience and ritualization among Chinese

Abstract

Grief is a universal experience, but different cultures prescribe diversified forms of rituals to symbolize this special transition. These rituals evolve over time, adapting to contextual changes. At the same time, rituals transform with the interactions of different cultures, which are facilitated by globalization. A cosmopolitan city, like Hong Kong, is a melting pot where old meets new and East meets West. This presentation will outline the changing rituals in death and bereavement practice in Hong Kong and examine the mixed impact to bereaved persons. With the introduction of the new diagnostic criteria of Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder in DSM-5, possible controversies in assessment arising from Chinese cultural and religious beliefs will be highlighted. In particular, the grief hallucination, the balance between continuing bond and separation distress, as well as that between expression and avoidance of emotions will be emphasized. Learning Objectives:

1. Explain how cultural rituals in death and bereavement evolved among Chinese. 2. Explore the potential therapeutic role of Chinese rituals and the possible generalization to other cultures. 3. Examine how Chinese cultural beliefs affect the assessment of problematic grief.