In traditional Cantonese funeral customs, during the mourning period, family members would not only wear mourning clothes, such as hemp cloth and mourning accessories (known as “xiao”), but also white shirts with black or blue pants, and white socks were required as well. It is believed that once these mourning garments and accessories are worn, they should not be removed. Aside from using the restroom, they must be worn continuously until the end of the funeral.
In modern times, traditional practices like wearing hemp cloth have gradually been forgotten and eliminated from local funeral customs. Nowadays, family members typically only wear white shirts with black or blue pants, and mourning accessories and white socks are only worn on the day of the funeral.
Why are white socks only worn on the day of the funeral? According to Cantonese customs, once white socks are put on during the mourning period, they must be kept on until after the funeral is over. Removing and then putting them back on would symbolize the need to repeat the funeral rites, which is considered very inauspicious. As times have changed and to make it more convenient for the family, this practice has been simplified. Now, white socks are only worn on the day of the funeral. This also means that after the funeral, removing the socks allows the family to let go and move on.
These customs apply specifically to Cantonese funerals, and practices may vary among different dialect groups.
广东丧事 – 为什么白袜子只在出殡日才穿?
在过去的传统广东丧事习俗里, 办丧事其间, 亲人除了披麻戴孝, 穿上白衣黑裤或白衣蓝裤, 白袜子也是必须的. 相信很少人知道, 一旦穿上这些丧服和配饰，如麻衣和丧葬孝（孝），就不能随意脱下。除了上厕所外，在丧礼结束前必须一直穿着。
在现代，像穿麻衣这样的传统做法在本地丧葬习俗中逐渐被遗忘和淘汰。现在，亲人通常只穿上白衣黑裤或白衣蓝裤,，并佩戴丧葬孝（孝）. 白袜子也只会在出殡日才穿上。
为什么白袜子只在出殡日才穿? 根据广东习俗, 一旦在丧期间穿上白袜子，必须保持到丧礼结束后才能脱下。脱下再穿上将象征需要重新进行丧葬仪式，这被认为是非常不吉利的。随着时代的变迁，为了方便家属，不必在整个丧期内一直穿着白袜子，这一习俗已被简化，只在出殡日才穿白袜子。这也意味着丧礼后脱下袜子，家属可以把一切放下，继续前行。
以上习俗只适用于广东丧事, 各别贯籍有不同的做法.
