Strippers at funerals in China

Why would someone hire a stripper to a funeral?

What do you think is interesting or strange about having a stripper at a funeral?

Chinese officials have started a new crackdown on funeral strippers.

The country’s Ministry of Culture will be stopping obscene performances at weddings, funerals and temple events.

As part of the new crackdown, a special “hotline” will be set up for people to report these events. If they report them then they can receive money.

It has been a longtime tradition in the Chinese countryside to hire strippers to do a show at funerals to attract more mourners.

They believe a big turnout at funerals is a sign of honor for the dead.

Sexily dressed women show off their bodies in front of an electronic screen. On the screen there is a photo of the dead person with text remembering that person. These are now a modern part of funerals in some countryside areas of China.

It’s not the first time Chinese officials have tried to stop these bizarre events.

They see the events as corrupting social good in China.

The peculiar practice started in the 1990s. Experts attribute the stripper performances as a way to celebrate fertility (fertility = the ability to make new life).

In some cultures, dancing like this can be a way to communicate wishes of having many children.

Try to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary depending on how they are used.

 The answers are below the table.

A=2, B=7, C=1, D=8, E=5, F=3, G=6, H=4

Some example sentences using the new words or phrases from the meaning of how they are used in the reading to help you understand better.

1. The police are cracking down on bad driving.

2. The drunk man was yelling obscene words to everyone.

3. He said to arrive at 6am tomorrow to set up the food and drinks for the concert.

4. Many people have been mourning the death of the president.

5. There was a big turnout to the concert.

6. It was bizarre that he would sell his car. He said he loved that car more than anything.

7. It seems peculiar to pay all this money and then not enjoy it.

8. She attributes her beautiful singing voice to her mother.

    

    

    

Some questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the words/phrases in your answer.

1. How do you feel about the police cracking down on events like in the story? Would you thinking be the same if it was a wedding or a party?

2. Why is it obscene to have a stripper at a funeral?

3. Have the police or government set up hotlines to report people like in China? If they have, describe them.

4. How do people mourn at funerals in your country?

5. Is it very important to have a big turnout at a wedding or funeral in your culture or family?

6. Can you describe some other bizarre events like today’s story? What do you think is bizarre in another culture or country?

7. Is there something people do in your culture that people may think is peculiar? Can you attribute this action to something?