In this seemingly mundane world, there are always people who choose unusual paths. Imagine that every day you are faced with the last figure of thousands of deceased people, do you dare to take this job? Chen Qi, an ordinary Dalian native and former yacht owner, eventually became a full-time "sea burial master". Today, in the 21st century, talking about death is still a taboo topic, let alone the sea burial industry, which is directly related to it. How did an ordinary person step by step approach to this career path that was not understood by the public? What kind of bitterness and helplessness are hidden in his story? And what are the unknown difficulties and challenges? Next, let's find out.
Chen Qi's initial life was actually like that of most people, he worked steadily in a state-owned enterprise in Dalian, and his daily life was quiet but lacking in passion. At the end of the 80s, with the deepening of reform and opening up, tourism became a new economic growth point. Dalian, a beautiful coastal city, has also ushered in the spring breeze of development. Chen Qi saw an opportunity, and he decided to quit his job at a state-owned enterprise, used his savings to buy a yacht, and started his own maritime tourism business.
At first, everything seemed good. Chen Qi's yacht takes tourists out to sea to enjoy the sea breeze and freedom. But the good times did not last long, and with the saturation of the market and the vicious competition of peers, business began to decline. In 1997, Dalian was selected as a pilot city for sea burial, and Chen Qi was desperate at this time. He was approached by the city's civil affairs bureau and asked him to provide a boat for sea burial services.
At first, Chen Qi also had concerns, and sea burials always carried a kind of taboo and fear in the minds of the public. However, forced by his livelihood, he accepted the offer. Who knows, this decision not only did not bring him a turnaround, but made his life even more difficult. As soon as tourists learned that his ship had been used for burials at sea, they avoided it, and business became more and more bleak.
However, every industry has its value and significance. As time passed, Chen Qi began to adapt to and understand the deeper meaning of sea burial. He witnessed the final farewells of countless families for the deceased, and these experiences made his heart gradually stronger. He began to learn how to comfort and serve the family, and how to handle the scattering of ashes in the sea, making the ceremony smoother and more respectful.
His wife was also gradually infected by his changes. At first, it was just to support her husband's career, but later she also participated in the sea burial service and became a master of ceremonies who knew how to soothe people's hearts. Her joining made Chen Qi no longer alone in facing this special profession.
With the gradual opening up of social concepts, more and more families choose to bury at sea, especially for the advantages of environmental protection, which are gradually recognized by the public. Sea burial not only saves land resources, but is also seen as a way to return to nature. For many people with a maritime complex, sea burial is the destination of their souls.
As a result, Chen Qi's career is gradually on the right track. He began to advocate for understanding and respect for every choice of death ritual within and outside the industry. "Every person's life is unique, and the way they leave should be respectful and unique," he said in an interview. His words touched the hearts of more people, and sea burial was gradually accepted by more people, and even became a fashionable choice.
This job brought him not only a mental burden, but also prejudices and misunderstandings from society. Once, a developer of a sea-view house even called the police to report Chen Qi because his sea burial activities "affected feng shui". This unreasonable accusation left him deeply helpless and angry, but it also strengthened his determination to change the public's erroneous perception of burials at sea.
In order to let more people know the true meaning of sea burial, Chen Qi and his wife began to organize public lectures to explain the process of sea burial and its environmental significance to the public. They also posted videos of the burial at sea online, so that those families who could not attend in person could participate in the ceremony online and feel this special farewell.
Slowly, their efforts began to pay off. More and more people are choosing sea burials to see off their loved ones, and some even travel from other cities to let the deceased die in this way.
Chen Qi also found a new meaning in life. "Although I deal with death every day, what I see is the dignity of life and the love of my family," he said. His words are simple but profound, reflecting his love for work and respect for life.
Through Chen Qi's story, we can see that every profession has its own value, even those related to death. Sea burial master is not only a profession, but also a manifestation of an attitude towards life. In the face of life and death, they use their own way to see off the deceased and soothe the hearts of the living. Chen Qi's experience tells us that as long as we understand and accept with an open mind, every choice has its own uniqueness. In this era of rapid change, perhaps we should learn to respect and understand, whether it is the choice of life or the farewell to death.