Death becomes her

Probably a taboo subject to most Chinese people, death has become a subject of interest for You Xiaoying, an award-winning scriptwriter, known for director Sylvia Chang's Love Education and Sister, which stars actress Zhang Zifeng.

You's latest tale, Song of Life, a 13-episode online series that debuted on the video-streaming platform Bilibili on Sept 21, follows the daily lives of a young mortuary makeup artist and her fellow morticians, discovering changes in modern society's view of such earthly departures.

The idea for the drama arose in 2016, when You came across some news covering China's rapidly aging population, causing her to pay more attention to societal issues like the allocation of medical resources and the funeral industry.

"Also, my close friend's father passed away around that time. I had accompanied her when she went to handle affairs at the mortuary, and I was quite impressed with the work of the professionals at the funeral home," recalls You.

Spending several months at home during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, You started to conceive the story of Song of Life, as the situation heightened the relatability to the insights into life and death that drama evokes.

Before typing the first line on her computer, You conducted a lot of research, ranging from working for a short period in two funeral parlors in Sichuan and Hebei provinces, to interviewing some veteran professionals.

With China's economic development and the increasing diversity of lifestyles, more Chinese families are shifting their attention to environment-friendly burials, such as scattering ashes at sea or growing a memory tree with mixed soil and ashes, according to the screenwriter.

However, after reading some internet comments that discuss the spooky environment in mortuaries, and the supposed mysterious phenomena that happen in them, You reveals she once felt a bit terrified entering a funeral home, but her mind was quickly changed.

With all such establishments growing a variety of green plants, the screenwriter says it was like entering a big park. That included the funeral home in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province, where the drama was shot over a period of 70 days last year.

"On sunny days, you thrive among the lush greenery, which makes you feel alive. The tranquillity of the environment can ease the mood, making you feel relaxed. When you leave a funeral home, you regain the strength to return to a normal life," says You.

A native of Chengdu, Sichuan province, the scriptwriter chose a local funeral parlor as her first stop to experience how professionals go to great lengths to honor the wishes of the dead and their families.

"A funeral usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes. However, the ritual officiant needs a much longer time to shape a biographical picture to better host the ritual. They often talk to the family to ask about the life and hobbies of the deceased, sometimes reading words written, or displaying photos taken, by the deceased to create a more profound impression," she explains.

With observations from some young professionals, You conceived her protagonist Zhao Sanyue, a 20-something who majored in stage design but fails to find a job after graduation. After lying on her bed everyday just playing with her smartphone for an entire year, the young woman is told to leave home by her angry mother and "forced" to accept the offering as a mortuary makeup artist.

However, the job turns out to be unexpectedly enlightening, and she finds new meaning in life after witnessing a series of sad moments, ranging from a documentary director with terminal cancer purchasing his own cinerary casket, to a couple of foster parents holding back tears as they mourn the passing of their daughter.

Describing herself as a person who was once quite fearful of death, You says the procedure to create the story — which was revised for four or five times — has helped her to cherish "every second in life".

"I was a shy person in the past. Nevertheless, I am now especially willing to express my gratitude and love, particularly while we're still fighting the pandemic," she says.

The writer, who graduated from the Beijing-based Central Academy of Drama, also noticed that most morticians speak comparatively slowly. She observes, "As the final stop for all of us is death, why not slow down the pace to admire the beauty and tranquility of life?"

Despite being in a demanding job, requiring compassion and patience, funeral professionals still endure some social prejudice, exemplified by various scenes from a mortician concealing her career during a date, to the protagonist hearing people gossip about their work in a restaurant.

Exploring the social phenomenon, the scriptwriter says she has also noticed that many funeral home workers are very conscious and try to avoid making others uncomfortable.

"For instance, they never say 'see you again' in the funeral homes. Most funeral professionals barely shake hands with customers. If they have children, they rarely write down their profession on school documents.

"Instead, the parents prefer to write something vague, like they work at a local bureau of civil affairs (as Chinese funeral homes are affiliated to the bureaus)," she says.

Currently, with the show already accumulating thousands of views online, You says she hopes the drama will help to shake off stereotypical ideas about morticians and enable more viewers to face up to and handle the subject of death.

"It is because of those who are willing to work in funeral homes, that a final goodbye can be decent and memorable," says the writer.