The Chinese Minister of Culture has launched a campaign in Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Hebei provinces to end the practice of hiring strippers to draw crowds to funerals — these crowds are seen as a mark of respect and status for the departed that epitomizes the virtue of "filial piety," regardless of how they are brought in.
The practice was created by funeral directors, after a string of less transgressive crowd-drawing innovations (comedians, actors, singers) and has since been banned by the state as "cultural atavism" and "corrupting the social atmosphere."
In viral videos, strippers touch themselves rub the crotches of men who come onstage, all in front of an oversized portrait of the deceased. Five troupes of exotic funeral dancers have been detained in Donghai county, Jiangsu Province.
On social media, many critics say the current countryside is fully corroded and was invaded by low culture and vulgar elements.
But the villagers themselves do not seem guilt-ridden about the erotic events. According to one netizen, it all comes down to one thing: "as long as everyone's happy, its all good!"
The Xinhua News Agency commented: "Having erotic performances of this nature at funerals highlights the trappings of modern life in China, whereby vanity and snobbery prevail over traditions."
China vows to crack down on rural custom of hiring strippers for funerals
[Hu Yuwei/Globaltimes.cn]
(via JWZ)
