A few weeks ago, I attended a Cantonese Taoist funeral. Among the different rituals and chants, one, however, caught my eye.

After setting up the “Gates of Hell” - which consisted of a pot of oil, candles and nine small tiles - the leading priest would lead his team to circle it, chanting and playing traditional instruments. Then he would break the tiles with a sword one by one while dancing with the flaming weapon, and when finished, jumping over a burst of fire to let the deceased out.

In Cantonese Taoism, it was believed that the deceased's soul would be escorted to face judgment in the underworld. Thus, breaking the “Gates of Hell” may save the deceased from Hell's grasp and let them move on to eternal peace and their new destination.

Some Taoists may also think that we humans have our own “Hell Gates” when we have difficult mental obstacles or blockages. These may cause us to feel stuck and unable to move on to the next phase. 

As I watched the ashes of the joss paper flutter everywhere in the dark room, only lit by the fire, there was a moment where everyone held their breaths at this spectacular ceremony. I found the movements haunting yet beautiful at the same time.

There is a movie inspired by this ritual called The Last Dance, which explores themes of family and deathcare, as well as the meaning of life and death. Perhaps these Cantonese Taoist traditions may slowly disappear due to Western influences and the changing lifestyles of the population.