Here lies someone who wrote this ...
Source: Xinhua |
April 4, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THEY will never read what is written on their tombstones, but many Chinese people have jumped at the chance to compose their own epitaphs.
Ahead of this week's traditional tomb-sweeping day, the Qingming Festival, the website Netease has been asking people to sum up their lives in a few words that could be read after their death.
More than 100 comments, some humorous, some philosophical, were left in just one day.
"He used to be fat, but now he is as skinny as all the others lying down here," one wrote. "You are stepping on me when you can see these characters," another said.
A comment from "Pinky" was: "Here lives a sleeping beauty, who is waiting for a prince to wake her up with a kiss." Another one, "Rainbow," expressed his earthly wishes with: "Finally, I get my own car and house."
He said: "I have been working for two years, but my savings are not enough for an apartment and a car. Maybe after my death, my relatives and friends will burn paper cars and houses for me as sacrifices."
Zhang Sining, a research fellow with the Academy of Social Sciences, found the epitaphs very interesting.
"The netizens are conveying their feelings and hopes in real life," he said. Zhang noted that some complained about the difficulties of finding a job, while others expressed hopes for finding girlfriends.
Liu Jianhong, a psychologist at Huaqiao University, noted it was natural for young people to ponder their life and death before the festival.
"The tomb-sweeping day is like thanksgiving, a time for many to think of their deceased acquaintances," he said.
"Meanwhile, people face up to death, so as to cherish their life more and face the future with a more optimistic attitude."
"Zijin" said her epitaph would read: "Life is short, please love yourself and those who love you."
She added: "In this way I want to remind myself 'don't let the busy work take away your time to care for your family and friends'."
She believed an epitaph was the epitome of one's pursuits in life. "If you always think of what you write down today, your life won't be too far away from what you want," she said.
Ahead of this week's traditional tomb-sweeping day, the Qingming Festival, the website Netease has been asking people to sum up their lives in a few words that could be read after their death.
More than 100 comments, some humorous, some philosophical, were left in just one day.
"He used to be fat, but now he is as skinny as all the others lying down here," one wrote. "You are stepping on me when you can see these characters," another said.
A comment from "Pinky" was: "Here lives a sleeping beauty, who is waiting for a prince to wake her up with a kiss." Another one, "Rainbow," expressed his earthly wishes with: "Finally, I get my own car and house."
He said: "I have been working for two years, but my savings are not enough for an apartment and a car. Maybe after my death, my relatives and friends will burn paper cars and houses for me as sacrifices."
Zhang Sining, a research fellow with the Academy of Social Sciences, found the epitaphs very interesting.
"The netizens are conveying their feelings and hopes in real life," he said. Zhang noted that some complained about the difficulties of finding a job, while others expressed hopes for finding girlfriends.
Liu Jianhong, a psychologist at Huaqiao University, noted it was natural for young people to ponder their life and death before the festival.
"The tomb-sweeping day is like thanksgiving, a time for many to think of their deceased acquaintances," he said.
"Meanwhile, people face up to death, so as to cherish their life more and face the future with a more optimistic attitude."
"Zijin" said her epitaph would read: "Life is short, please love yourself and those who love you."
She added: "In this way I want to remind myself 'don't let the busy work take away your time to care for your family and friends'."
She believed an epitaph was the epitome of one's pursuits in life. "If you always think of what you write down today, your life won't be too far away from what you want," she said.
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