Abstract
This research focuses on the development of the commoditization of death ritual in contemporary Taiwan. As we talk about death ritual, we are concerning about the whole process of how we deal with death. Focusing on the process of death ritual can help us to distinguish the different features between contemporary death ceremony and community-based ritual. Here, we try to portray the development of contemporary Taiwan funerals, the practice of those who provide funeral services, and behaviors of mourners who purchase those commodities of death ritual. In doing so, it examines the reaction of society while confronted with the commoditization of death ritual. While the death ritual becomes a “package-commodity”, there is nothing left for the deceased family but the price to pay. The commoditization and specialization of death ritual deprived the chance for people to practice the culture value and to “practice” their emotion(fear, sadness, filial piety…) The change of death ritual reflects not only in the image and the practice process, more important, in the structure of funerals and the values surrounding death