| The bottom of the coffin is covered in dry tea leaves, so as to absorb any leakage from the decomposing corpse. On top of the tea leaves, in order to symbolize the bottom part of a traditional coffin, is placed the small wood carving covered in cotton. I am told that the bottom part of the traditional coffin is a symbol of the maternal, while the top is paternal. In this way, the dead are surrounded by these symbols when they are buried. |