Chi’s solemn commitment to the dead
Print Edition
For Chi Changjin, 29, retaining the dignity of people after death is a solemn commitment.
To make the deceased look as presentable as possible, Chi goes through a meticulous process of cleaning, bathing and sterilizing the bodies, changing clothing, styling hair and making up faces at Jiading Funeral Parlor.
It’s a job he has been doing for nearly 8 years. Chi starts his work every morning with a set of routines, which he has learned after years of repetition.
His first encounter with a dead body was during his college days when he was an apprentice in a mortuary. One day a body was sent to the parlor. A forensic medical examiner was responsible for the autopsy while Chi was responsible for dealing with the remains.
“The corpse had been decaying deeply with a strong and foul smell. Maggots were crawling everywhere,” Chi recalled. “I had nightmares that night and for the coming days. Sometimes I was even awakened at midnight.”
In July 2010, Chi was an apprentice at Jiading Funeral Parlor. “I usually eased my mental stress by jogging, driving or playing games on my mobile phone,” Chi said.
He gave up an opportunity to go to university due to financial difficulties at home after he had graduated from high school. He chose a vocational school in Changsha, capital of central Hunan Province, to study funeral management instead.
Fortunately his parents supported him, and he found the love of his life at the college. They are now married with one child.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
