In a Taiwanese folk custom, when two family members die within the same year, straw figurines and duck blood are employed in a special ritual that involves burning an empty paper coffin, aimed at preventing a third death within the family.
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This traditional practice, known as “Sacrificing to an Empty Coffin”, or ji kong guan in Chinese, is usually conducted during the funeral of the second deceased.
Grounded in the folk belief that “bad luck comes in threes,” the ritual seeks to ward off misfortune and avert a third death in the family. It also symbolically marks the end of a cycle of misfortune and offers protection to surviving members.
The exact origin of this unique practice remains uncertain.
During the ritual, a Taoist priest prepares a small straw figure to represent the potential “third deceased” and places it inside a paper coffin to be burned.
While the specific procedures may vary, they typically include three symbolic offerings: a piece of pork, an egg, and a slice of dried tofu, collectively known as the “small three offerings,” or xiao san sheng in Chinese.
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Traditionally, fresh chicken blood from a live chicken is used to consecrate the straw figure, symbolising its representation of a real person.
Duck blood from a live duck is also used to “suppress evil spirits” and dispel negative energy.