China News Service, Nanning, April 4th: Title: Female corpse embalmer and plastic surgeon: Helping the deceased to leave with "dignity" will give you a sense of pride
Author Chen Yanyou
"The end of life is a very ordinary and grand event. It is not the end of life, but another beginning." Recently, Zeng Luhe, a body embalmer and plastic surgeon at the Nanning Funeral Service Management Office, said in an interview with a reporter from China News Service.
Zeng Luhe was born in 1998. Her father has been engaged in the funeral industry for decades. She knew her father as "often not at home" since she was a child. However, the young Zeng Luhe did not know her father's occupation. As she grew older, she understood the meaning of the word "funeral" and gained a deeper understanding of life.
When she was in junior high school, Zeng Luhe came up with the idea of working in the funeral industry. While in college, she studied art design and shared her dream with her friends. Her friends' support made her more determined to enter this field. "People used to have a very serious taboo against death. Because my father also works in this industry, I have no taboo against this industry at all. A year and a half after graduation, I signed up for a job at the Nanning Funeral Directors Office. Open Recruitment Examination.”
In 2023, Zeng Luhe, who entered the funeral industry as she wished, relied on her previously accumulated art skills to quickly and accurately adjust the foundation suitable for the skin color of the deceased when putting makeup on the deceased.
"After we complete the makeup service for the deceased, if the family members are satisfied with our work, they will give positive feedback, such as a word of thanks or a nod, which can actually heal our souls very well. Zeng Luhe said.
In her spare time, Zeng Luhe would make heads with clay, practice shaping with sculpture tools, and practice stitching on silicone models in order to better serve the deceased.
The picture shows Zeng Luhe practicing body shaping. Photo by Chen Yanyou
"It is very difficult to completely shape a person's head in front of a photo and achieve a high degree of similarity. The purpose of practicing more is to improve your professional skills." Zeng Luhe said that working in the funeral industry requires a great sense of responsibility. Serving the deceased is a solemn thing, because it is a very formal job that faces life directly. It can serve both the living and the deceased, and is a "bridge" connecting life. (over)