[Tomb on White Cloud Mountain, Guangzhou]

Burial preparations and funeral ceremonies are particularly serious matters in Chinese culture. Traditionally, the Chinese believe that their dead ancestors live with the gods in the spirit world, and can influence the luck—good or bad—that these gods bring to the living. Often, families bury their ancestors in the same area, ensuring that they remain united in the afterlife. The family tomb complex in Lai’s photograph is built on a western-facing hillside in accordance with the requirements of feng shui. It is topped by a stone stele erected in honor of the Goddess Queen of the Earth, Houtushen, who was said to preside over the underworld. The tomb complex was located on White Cloud Mountain, just north of the city of Guangzhou, which was also the site of a famous complex of eleven Buddhist and Daoist monasteries.