Maybe the culture forum is a better place to ask this, but here I go. Do you think it’s disrespectful for a foreigner to watch a lively funeral procession on the street? I stopped to enjoy the music at one today outside the XinPu MRT station today. The band, which has stopped in one place to play for a while, was really good and a large crowd was enjoying it. After they finished playing, many in the crowd applauded their performance. Several years ago I received some dirty looks for appearing to be a spectator, but today it seemed okay. Does anyone think this is rude or irreverent in anyway?
Are you sure it was a funeral? Today was Mazu’s birthday, so there were a number of temple parades through the streets.
No, I’m not. Thanks. You’re probably right. Would people ever clap if the music was being enjoyed for a funeral parade?
Not disrespectful, but you’d better say your prayers. Every time my wife drives past a funeral procession, she’ll immediately holler for us to DON’T LOOK, DON’T LOOK, will fling an arm over the back of the seat, flailing about to cover my daughter’s eyes and ears, as the car swerves down the road. If she had more hands she’d likely cover her mouth, nose and genitals as well (I believe the anus is protected if you’re sitting down), but she doesn’t so we just take our chances in that respect.
As for you, I suspect they know who you are now. They’ll come and find you when the time is right, when you’re all alone, perhaps sitting quietly, eating a biendang, perhaps lying in bed staring at the ceiling. They’ll find you and then you’ll understand.
Have a nice day. 
Yeah, that sounds like a familiar tune. My wife gets really nervous around anything remotely resembling death and will definitely go the long way to avoid any prolonged visuals…
Disrespectful? It’s disrespectful of the people that have a funeral to upset the whole neighborhood with their noise … hearing an artificial, taped wailing at 6:00 AM is not fun … turned up the amp a few notches so that people can hear it seven blocks away is the way to go mostly … :bluemad:
So, to answer your question, I don’t think it’s disrespectful … :ohreally:
I always stare at funerals. They’re pretty impossible to ignore. It helps to have sunglasses or to use the 10,000 yard technique.