Getting into the cremator to clean the dust, carefully checking the cremation equipment, placing the body of the deceased on the bed of the cremator and bowing deeply to the deceased... This is the daily work of Yun Xiaolin, a post-95 generation. Cremation work is one of the hardest jobs in the funeral industry. Yun Xiaolin is the first female cremator of Beijing Babaoshan Funeral Home (hereinafter referred to as "Babaoshan Funeral Home") in the past 20 years. In the past six years of working, Yun Xiaolin has grown into a technical backbone, and has also dispelled many people's doubts about whether women are qualified to be cremators.
In November 2021, the national professional skills standards for cremators were updated, adding skills requirements such as furnace front service and bone collection service. Wei Tong, director of the cremation room of Babaoshan Funeral Home, said that more than a quarter of the deceased in Beijing have their bodies cremated at Babaoshan Funeral Home, mostly in the morning. In order to improve the level of funeral services, relying on the Cremation Skills Master Studio, in early 2022, Babaoshan Funeral Home established the only female cremation team in the national funeral system: Zhao Yan is the team leader, and Yun Xiaolin, Dong Ning, Liu Dejie, and Yao Ziqing are members. The average age of the "Fire Rose" female cremation team is 26 years old.
In September 2023, the "Fire Rose" women's cremation team won the fifth "Moving Society·Civil Affairs Model" publicity and education activity model group. "Although they are very young, their skills are passable." Wei Tong said, "Fire Rose" uses women's delicacy, patience and affinity to allow the dead to rest in peace and the living to be comforted. A few days ago, reporters from China Youth Daily and China Youth Daily came to Babaoshan Funeral Home and approached this group of young people who warmed the "last journey" of the deceased.
Humanized services protect the end of life
Laying flowers, reading eulogies, bowing... Wei Tong said that now, "Fire Rose" can provide small-scale farewell services in front of the funeral according to the needs of the deceased's family, making the service more humane. When a farewell ceremony was held for the family members of the deceased, Yao Ziqing, born in 2000, was responsible for comforting and receiving the family members. Whenever she sees emotional family members, she tries to use what she has learned to comfort them and guide them out of their grief. Zhao Yan said that in the face of various demands of the deceased's family members, "Fire Rose" always tries its best to satisfy them. For example, some family members hope to get the ashes as soon as possible. This group of girls started collecting the ashes before the ashes were completely cooled. Although they wore Wear protective gloves, but sometimes you may get burned.
"Please help my child keep some ashes so that we can take them back to our hometown to commemorate them." Once, the parents of a 3-year-old deceased were distressed because they learned that it was difficult to retain the ashes of a frail and sick young child after he was cremated. Begging Yun Xiaolin. "I will do my best." Yun Xiaolin quickly helped the young couple up and comforted them. Yun Xiaolin squatted in front of the hot cremation furnace, carefully observed the changes in data such as furnace temperature and furnace negative pressure, and carefully adjusted the equipment parameters in real time. , and finally kept the child’s ashes. After the couple received the ashes, they bowed deeply to Yun Xiaolin with tears in their eyes to express their gratitude. "Their recognition of my work made me feel the value of this job!" Yun Xiaolin said.
Dong Ning, who has worked in the funeral service position of Babaoshan Funeral Home for many years, actively signed up after hearing the news about the establishment of a women's cremation team, and joined after passing the assessment. In her view, cremation is the emotional connection point between the living and the deceased. Every cremation fulfills a family's entrustment. She hopes to do her best to provide tender service to the deceased and their families.
"I'm content if I can hold this hand."
"When I approach the cremation furnace, hot air waves hit my face instantly. For the cremator, picking up the ashes is a challenge. In the hot summer, I often sweat." Zhao Yan said that the highest temperature of the cremation furnace in the cremation room of Babaoshan Funeral Home The temperature reaches 1300°C, and it takes 1-1.5 hours for each body to be cremated. After picking up the ashes of a body, the kang surface and furnace must be cleaned dozens of times a day with a debris collector.
Wei Tong said that with the advancement of science and technology, the degree of informatization of cremation equipment has improved, the labor intensity has been reduced, and women can also engage in the work of cremating remains. To become a qualified cremator, you must pass professional training to understand the principles of cremation and fuel characteristics, the operation and maintenance of cremation machines, the principles of pollutant purification, and flue gas purification equipment. "Many people think that cremation work is the same and can be completed by pressing a few buttons. This is not the case." After 2000, Liu Dejie realized after pre-job training and work practice that cremation is not only physical work, but also technical work. Cremation requires Different cremation plans are customized according to the gender, age, weight, cause of death, refrigeration time, etc. of each body.
Liu Dejie is still deeply impressed by the experience of cremating a deceased woman of similar age to herself. Before the cremation, the father of the deceased, who was in his 20s, had been begging Liu Dejie: "My daughter has a metal object on her left hand, please keep it." Liu Dejie originally thought it was a bracelet or other jewelry, but after the ashes were cremated and cooled, her eyes instantly turned red. . It turned out that the deceased’s left hand was a prosthetic limb made of metal. When Liu Dejie carefully handed the prosthetic limb to the deceased's father, the father gently held the prosthetic limb and choked with sobs: "Don't be afraid, kid, dad will always hold your hand. Little girl, thank you very much for holding this hand." I am content with just one hand.”
Use action to break secular prejudices
“This job is not good for your skin, it’s tiring, dirty, and unseemly. Why are you so confused?” Since starting to work as cremators, the “Fire Roses” have heard a lot of doubts and denials, including from family members. sound.
Faced with different voices, Yao Ziqing said frankly that she didn't care and believed that she was engaged in a sacred job. "If you like it very much, you need to bear the pressure it brings to you." Yun Xiaolin said. Today's "Fire Rose" has attracted more and more people's attention, and has gradually gained understanding and respect from people around her. Dong Ning and Liu Dejie hope that the public will give practitioners in the funeral industry more recognition.
"Do a good job in cremation and let the lost life end with dignity. In addition, we are also committed to promoting the culture of life and discussing cremation etiquette, so that the public can feel the warmth and care of funeral services." Zhao Yan said, hoping that one day, Through the persistence of "Fire Rose", break the secular prejudice.
China Youth Daily·China Youth Daily reporter Xian Oujie Source: China Youth Daily