諸經要集 19.53

19.53

Question: Since we know the difference between the hun and the po, why is it that in current secular deaths people use clothing to call back the hun, but do not speak of calling back the po?
Answer: The hun is the spirit, while the po is the corpse. Therefore, according to the rites, at the moment of first dying, one takes the clothes worn by oneself and carries them over the corpse and po. Because the hun goes outside, one takes the clothes to summon the hun. The hun recognizes its own clothes and follows the clothes back to the po. If the hun returns to the po, then the wad of silk floss over the corpse's mouth moves. If the hun does not return to the po, then the silk floss over the mouth does not move. In terms of principle, one therefore speaks of summoning the hun and does not speak of calling the po. Thus, Xiao's Sangfu yaoji says: 'Duke Ai of Lu buried his father. Confucius asked, "Would you prepare a hun-garment?" Duke Ai said, "The hun-garment began with Botaos. At the foot of Mount Jing, Botao encountered his friend Yangjiao, who had frozen to death on the road. Grieving, he went to fetch his corpse; pitying the coldness of his hun-spirit, he therefore made a hun-garment for him. My father wore brocade and embroidery in life, and was wrapped in clothes and quilts in death; what need is there for garments?"'
Question: Why is it necessary to write the name on the banner?
Answer: The banner summons the hun to be placed on its dry ground. Because the hun recognizes its name, it follows the name into the dark chamber, and also casts itself into the po; or it enters the spirit tablet (zhong) chamber. Zhong (pronounced zhí-lóng) means double (tú-yòng). Within the zhong, sacrificial food is fully arranged. Because the living and the dead are distinct, and light and darkness differ, ghosts and spirits eat in darkness, while living people eat in light. Therefore, for the zhong, coarse mats are used to wrap the eating utensils, so as to set them within the zhong and place them on the spirit ground.