China: two steps forward, three steps backward

For a country hurtling full speed towards the Twenty Second Century, China is still backward in so many ways.

Living in HK, you get exposed to quite a few 'interesting' stories relating to what's happening in the mainland - here's one that caught my eye recently:

Corpse Brides: 6 Women Killed And Sold As Brides

BEIJING: A man in Hebei killed six women and sold their bodies as brides to those wishing to hold "spirit weddings" for their dear departed.

The tradition for holding "spirit weddings" which are weddings for dead people has existed since the Ming Dynasty. According to the tradition, a dead man or divorcee is matched with a dead woman; so that they (dead man or divorcee) will not be alone in the afterlife.

For such a wedding, the family of the "bridegroom" will need to pay a big sum of money to the family of the "bride". That's why there is a group of people in Hebei who "professionally" and actively dig tombs, steal dead bodies and sell them. There are also a group of people who work as "matchmakers" for the deceased.

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