Middle School and Health Center Shift Wake Follow-up Official Response Department Teacher's Father Died More details leaked out
Behind the "meaningful" of the wake: an in-depth interpretation of regional culture
Recently, a video about everyone's collective wake has attracted widespread attention. The video shows the arrangement of a middle school and a hometown health center to send people to wake in turn, which has aroused the confusion and doubts of many netizens from other places. "That's too 'coercive', isn't it?" "Why do schools and hospitals go to wakes en masse?" Questions were raised.
But in the eyes of the locals, this practice is perfectly normal. They said that this is actually a traditional local funeral custom, which reflects the importance that people attach to family affection, and is also a kind of care and comfort for employees by employers.
So, where does this "collective vigil" come from? What role does it play in the lives of the locals? Why did it cause confusion among foreign netizens? Let's explore this interesting social phenomenon.
1. Unique wakes rooted in regional culture
Speaking of this custom of "mass vigil", we first need to understand the context in which it arose. As a multi-ethnic region, Guizhou has a rich and diverse regional culture, and wakes as part of traditional funeral customs also have a unique style here.
In many areas of Guizhou, it is widely believed that mourning and wakes for deceased loved ones is not only the responsibility of the family, but also the obligation of the entire community. This concept stems from a strong family and neighborhood tradition of mutual support.
In rural communities, interpersonal relationships tend to be closer, and everyone is a friend or family, or even a member of a large family. Therefore, when someone dies, the whole village or even the whole town will take the initiative to come to mourn, wake the spirit, and express their condolences. This is not only out of affection, but also reflects the cohesion of the rural community.
In contrast, in the cities, this practice of wakes may not be as common. After all, interpersonal relationships are relatively estranged, everyone is busy with their own affairs, and rarely takes the initiative to participate in other people's funeral activities. But in rural areas, this tradition of helping each other continues to this day and is an integral part of local life.
Therefore, when foreign netizens see this practice of "collective vigil", it is easy to feel puzzled and confused. It may be difficult for them to understand the cultural implications, and it is easier for them to see it as a "mandatory" arrangement. But for the locals, it's a normal part of their lives.
2. Reflect the care and comfort of the employer
In addition to the influence of regional culture, this practice of wakefulness also has a certain social function in the local area. As explained by the local authorities, the purpose of the school and hospital is to show concern and comfort to the staff.
For teachers and medical staff, their work has a certain peculiarity. Teachers are responsible for nurturing the next generation and have an important social responsibility. Medical staff shoulder the sacred mission of saving lives and helping the wounded, and are always facing the test of life and death. These jobs require a lot of time and energy, often at the expense of their private lives.
In this case, when a loved one unfortunately passes away, the school and the hospital will take the initiative to reach out and organize all employees to go to mourn. This is not only to express sympathy and support for these employees, but also to help them better survive this difficult time through collective participation.
For teachers, this arrangement of the school is undoubtedly a special kind of care. They usually have to take on heavy workloads and rarely have the opportunity to rest. When they encounter family changes, the school takes the initiative to arrange for them to deal with the funeral, which undoubtedly alleviates their worries and allows them to concentrate on taking care of their families.
Similarly, for medical staff, this practice of the hospital also shows that they are valued. They are battling life and death every day and are under tremendous pressure. When a loved one passes away, the hospital is willing to arrange for all staff to go to condole, which is undoubtedly a heart-warming measure.
It can be said that this practice of "collective vigil" not only reflects the importance of local people to family affection, but also reflects the employer's care for employees. It not only satisfies people's emotional needs, but also creates a space for employees to focus on family matters. This is undoubtedly a measure to balance work and life, which is worth learning and learning from.
3. Reasons that are difficult for outsiders to understand
Although this practice is taken for granted by the locals, it can be difficult for outsiders to understand the cultural connotations. This has also caused some misunderstandings and doubts about this practice.
First, it may be difficult for outsiders to understand this collective way of wake. In their view, condolences and wakes should be private matters between relatives, and should not involve the entire unit. And when I see that all employees in schools and hospitals are arranged to be on duty in turns, I can't help but feel that this practice is somewhat "forced" and "too collectivized".
Second, outsiders may not be able to identify with this institutionalized arrangement. In their view, condolences and wakes should be voluntary and should not be mandatory by any organization. Therefore, when you see this kind of duty schedule, it is easy to think of the concepts of "compulsion" and "obligation", and ignore the cultural connotation.
Moreover, outsiders may not be able to understand how much the locals value family affection. In some developed regions, interpersonal relationships are relatively alienated, and people pay more attention to their own life circles. In underdeveloped areas like Guizhou, family and kinship are often the core values in people's lives. So when someone dies, the whole community comes forward to offer their condolences, which may seem difficult to understand from out there.
In general, this custom of "collective vigil" is taken for granted by locals, but it is difficult for outsiders to understand the cultural connotations. This difference has caused them to misunderstand and question this practice.
Fourth, understand with an open and inclusive attitude
It is undeniable that this practice of "collective vigil" does seem to be somewhat special in the field. But we should be open and inclusive to understand and learn from this culture, rather than simply labeling or jumping to conclusions.
First of all, we need to recognize that people have different values and lifestyles in different regions and different cultural backgrounds. This difference does not mean right or wrong, but only reflects the diversity of human society. We should respect this difference and strive to understand the cultural connotations, rather than arbitrarily judging them by our own standards.
Second, we need to learn to empathize. If it were ourselves, we would also like to receive care and support from our units and colleagues when a loved one dies. At this special moment, it is undoubtedly a heart-warming act for everyone to take the initiative to lend a helping hand and get through the difficulties together. We should think about the significance of this approach from the perspective of the person concerned, rather than judging it from the perspective of a bystander.
In addition, we respect the customs and traditions of the locals. Each region has its own unique customs and culture, which have been formed over a long period of time. Even if we are puzzled by certain practices, we should not simply dismiss them as "backward" or "uncivilized". Instead, we should be open-minded to understand and learn, and strive to immerse ourselves in the local cultural atmosphere, so that we can truly reflect the diversity of cultures.
After all, this custom of "collective vigil" may seem special to the locals, but it is taken for granted by the locals. It not only reflects the importance of family affection among the locals, but also reflects the care of the employer for the employee. We should recognize and understand this cultural phenomenon with an open and inclusive mind, strive to appreciate its unique charm, and promote mutual exchange and integration.
Only in this way can we truly appreciate the inner strength of different regional cultures and feel the best side of human nature. After all, the world is so rich and diverse precisely because of the interweaving and complementarity of different cultural traditions. Let's explore this fascinating world with an open and equal mind, and that's what we should do.