China moves to stop strippers at funerals
'Obscene' photographs of woman stripping at a funeral force Chinese ministry of culture to act
The Chinese ministry of culture has pledged to crack down on erotic dancers at funerals, describing the rural practice of having strippers at funerals to help gather crowds as "obscene".
The pledge came after photographs of an exotic dancer taking off her bra at a funeral in the city of Handan in northern Hebei province were circulated online, the Wall Street Journal reports.
A user of Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, said that he returned to his hometown to find women taking off their clothes at a funeral procession. After being alerted to the incident, the ministry of culture announced that it would investigate the case and punish the people involved.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The government has been trying to "fight the country's funereal stripper scourge" for several years, the Wall Street Journal says.
Strippers are hired to perform at funerals to help gather crowds which is "seen as a harbinger of good fortune in the afterlife", the WSJ explains.
Stripping is illegal in China, Xinhua reports, but erotic dancing at funerals has been going on for many years. It was first exposed in an investigation by the state-run television network CCTV in 2006 which reported that dozens of businesses offer funereal striptease services, which cost around 2,000 yuan ($322) per performance.
"This has severely polluted the local cultural life," CCTV said at the time.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
UAW scores historic win in South at VW plant
Speed Read Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have voted to join the United Auto Workers union
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 22, 2024
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - dystopian laughs, WNBA salaries, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giraffe poo seized after woman wanted to use it to make a necklace
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Helicopter sound arouses crocodiles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman sues Disney over 'injurious wedgie'
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Emotional support alligator turned away from baseball stadium
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Europe's oldest shoes found in Spanish caves
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Artworks stolen by Nazis returned to heirs of cabaret performer
It wasn't all bad Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published