Until Death Do Us Unite: Afterlife Marriages in Tang China,618-906

Abstract

This article explores the minghun (afterlife marriage) practice in the Tang dynasty of China. Through a close examination of epitaphs, biographies, short stories, and archaeological discoveries, the author argues that (1) the minghun practice embodied Tang society's elaborate vision of the netherworld and new outlook toward death, enriched by the Buddhist idea of purgatory; (2) the transformed concept of afterlife and economic prosperity encouraged lavish burials and provided an opportunity for Tang parents to make up for their children's unfulfilled lives; (3) the changing perception of marriage during the Tang period, with less emphasis on the continuation of the family line and more emphasis on marital harmony and physical intimacy, led to the conviction that even deceased children deserve a marriage; and (4) minghun arrangements provided the living relatives alternate paths to form family connections, expand power, and display their wealth and social status.