China News Service, Chongqing, April 6, Title: Taiwan youth join the funeral industry in Chongqing: From “curiosity” to “love”
China News Service reporter Zhong Yi
"If three years ago, I entered the funeral industry by mistake and full of curiosity, then now I am determined to take root because I really love it." During the Qingming Festival, when I was asked again "Why did you choose the funeral industry?", from Taiwan Zhang Bokai, a young man born after 1985 in Taipei, started talking and detailed his gains and growth to reporters.
Before 2021, Zhang Bokai was a catering entrepreneur with some success. His self-created milk tea brand has flourished in many cities in mainland China, and has partners in the United States, Canada, and Malaysia. At its peak, the global epidemic happened to hit the scene, and his career was temporarily suspended. Zhang Bokai, who had no place to settle, was invited by his elders to serve as the manager of the management department of Chongqing Funeral Co., Ltd., officially entering this secretive and tender field.
The picture shows Zhang Bokai, a "post-85s" young man, visiting a scenic spot in Chongqing in 2022. Photo provided by interviewee
"In the early years, I boasted that I was self-made and arrogant. Now that I think about it, it's really ridiculous." Zhang Bokai said that after watching "Life, Parting and Death", he can better understand the shortness and beauty of life. For him personally, the biggest change in recent years is that he has become more peaceful, letting things take their own course, and feeling contented and happy.
The main business of Zhang Bokai's company is to handle funeral arrangements entrusted by the relatives of the deceased. In his view, this is a solemn and serious undertaking. Funeral services not only provide respect and courtesy to the deceased, allowing the deceased to complete the last journey of life with dignity and dignity, but also provide comfort to the living and help the family members of the deceased to go through the saddest moment.
"In the process of providing services, we pay more attention to empathizing with each other and giving correct guidance to the families of the deceased, so that they can feel respect, warmth and care." Zhang Bokai gave the example of personalized customization in funerals. His company has provided services to the deceased at a young age. The hall is decorated with children’s favorite cartoon characters such as Pikachu and Hello Kitty, which are different from the common white and yellow chrysanthemums. Funerals with more humanistic care make the "farewell" warmer and allow family members to gain more comfort and strength in remembering the deceased.
In order to better understand the industry trends, Zhang Bokai has taught himself a lot of funeral-related knowledge in recent years and visited many cities in mainland China to investigate funeral culture. The further he travels, the more he realizes that both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same origins and have the same funeral culture and emotions. As sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, they have the obligation to inherit and carry forward the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation of being cautious about the past and remembering the source when drinking water.
"In the past few days, my family in Taiwan is also worshiping ancestors, which is no different from the mainland." Zhang Bokai told reporters, which also made him think about more possibilities for cross-strait funeral cultural exchanges. For example, Taiwan's traditional paper-making industry has become artistic and can be used in the decoration of mourning halls in mainland China to meet the different memorial needs of family members. Another example is to strengthen the flow of talent in the cross-strait funeral industry, inject professional strength into the continued implementation of funeral reforms, and enhance social understanding. Recognition of the funeral industry.
Zhang Bokai revealed that his company is currently planning and building a funeral parlor with a sense of life and technology in Liangping District, Chongqing. In addition to regular funeral services, the museum plans to open a dining and rest area incorporating Taiwanese elements to allow the family members of the deceased to change the environment between funerals and wakes, so as to soothe their souls.
"In the future, we also want to build a cultural industrial park related to funerals and promote the concept of green and civilized funerals." Zhang Bokai said that using funeral culture as a medium to enhance the emotional and cultural identity of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and jointly inherit the Chinese nation's filial culture is one of the key goals. Biggest wish. (over)