Funeral Supply Wholesaler
Location: No. 25, Building 13, West Street, Literature and Sports City, Gaoqiao Market, Yuhua District, Changsha City, Hunan Province, China
Shop: 振兴Funeral Supplies Store/ Funeral Supply Wholesaler
Interviewer: Yangchun Zeng (Shop Owner)
Interviewee: Me
振兴Funeral Supplies Store
Interview Disclaimer:
After visiting the store and explaining the purpose of my project, the shop owner kindly allowed me to take photos and agreed to participate in an interview. However, due to privacy reasons, I did not record the interview process or take any photos of the shop owner. Below is the written record of our interview and my subsequent analysis.
Interview:
1. Types and Selection of Funeral Supplies
Me: Thanks for chatting with me today. I noticed you’ve got a lot of different funeral supplies here, including some newer paper items. How do you decide what to stock? Do you actively look for new and unique items each year?
Shop Owner: No problem, happy to help. We try to keep a good variety because different customers want different things. Every year, we bring in some new stuff, especially in the paper offerings—like new styles of bags, watches, or clothes. But honestly, even the new items are just variations on the same categories—handbags, jewelry, even smartphones. They’re meant to reflect what the deceased liked in life, but they’re still pretty traditional, just updated a bit.
Me: So, even the “new” stuff is still pretty rooted in tradition?
Shop Owner: Exactly. The core categories don’t change much. We just update the designs to keep things fresh, but it’s still what people expect.
2. Consumer Purchasing Habits
Me: Who usually shops here? Do you see any differences in what younger and older customers buy?
Shop Owner: Older folks stick to the basics—traditional paper money, spirit currency, and the usual offerings like incense. But when families come in, especially if there are younger or middle-aged people, they often pick things that reflect what the deceased liked—like paper mahjong sets, cigarettes, or even bottles of alcohol. Younger customers definitely lean more towards personalizing their choices based on what their loved ones enjoyed.
Me: Interesting. So, do you think younger people are more open to newer, more personalized funeral items?
Shop Owner: Yeah, I’d say so. They want to honor their loved ones in a way that feels personal but still respectful of tradition. They might pick a paper smartphone for a tech-savvy relative, but they’ll still include the traditional stuff like incense and paper money.
3. Balancing Tradition and Modernity
Me: How do traditional funeral practices influence what you sell here? Is there any pushback when it comes to more modern or personalized items?
Shop Owner: Tradition is still a big deal. It guides what we stock because that’s what most people are comfortable with. There’s definitely some resistance to change—people like to stick with what they know. But there’s also a growing interest in adding a personal touch, especially among the younger generations. Even then, the new items are usually just modern twists on traditional things.
Me: So, it’s kind of a balancing act between keeping the tradition and offering something a bit more personal?
Shop Owner: Yeah, exactly. People want to keep the tradition but also make it meaningful for their family. We try to cater to both by offering traditional items with a bit of a modern twist, but we don’t stray too far from what’s expected.
4. Future Outlook of the Funeral Industry
Me: Do you think the funeral industry will become more personalized and modern in the future? What kind of changes do you see coming?
Shop Owner: I think personalization will definitely keep growing, especially as younger people start planning these ceremonies. We might see more modern items becoming the norm, but I don’t think the core traditions are going anywhere. It’s more likely we’ll see a blend of old and new—traditional elements adapted to fit modern tastes and lifestyles. The challenge is finding ways to innovate without losing the cultural significance of these rituals.
Me: Makes sense. Sounds like the industry is slowly evolving, but still holding on to tradition.
Shop Owner: Exactly. Change is happening, but it’s slow and steady. People still want to stay connected to their cultural roots, even as they bring in more personal touches.
Post-Interview Analysis：
The interview gave me a good sense of how the funeral industry is trying to balance tradition with the demand for personalization. Even though there are newer, more modern items available, they still stick to traditional categories, showing a cautious approach to change. The shop owner’s comments suggest that while younger generations are more open to personalization, they still value the traditional aspects of funeral rituals. This balance between old and new seems to be the direction the industry is heading in, with gradual changes that mix modern elements with long-standing practices.
The main takeaway is that while there’s definitely room for innovation, it’s limited by cultural expectations and the importance of tradition. The challenge for the industry will be finding ways to introduce more personalized options without losing the cultural and spiritual significance of these rituals.
Exploring the Details:
As I walked through the funeral supply shop, I noticed a variety of items, each catering to different aspects of traditional and modern funeral rituals. The shop was quite large, with shelves filled with both standard offerings and some more personalized options.
paper cigarettes set. paper poker set paper mahjong set
One section was dedicated to gender-specific funeral items. There were sets designed specifically for men and women, including clothing, accessories, and even symbolic food and transportation. For example, I found paper suits, ties, and watches for men, while the women’s section had paper dresses, jewelry, and handbags. It was interesting to see that even in the afterlife, there’s an emphasis on these distinctions.
In these gendered sets, I noticed some details that stood out. The paper replicas of luxury items, like a Gucci wallet and an LV handbag, had altered logos to avoid any legal issues, yet they were still easily recognizable. It’s a subtle nod to the importance of brand and status, even in symbolic form.
Paper Funeral Offerings: These set of paper funeral offerings includes replicas of luxury items such as an LV wallet, a wristwatch, sunglasses, a smartphone, and even a gold card from “The Bank of Hell.” These items are traditionally burned as offerings for the deceased, symbolizing that they will have access to these goods in the afterlife.
There was also a range of more general items meant to appeal to a broader audience. Traditional paper money, spirit currency, and gold ingots were abundant, along with symbolic houses, cars, and even entire estates. I couldn’t help but notice that U.S. dollars, known as a universal currency, were also included as spirit money—highlighting how even in death, global symbols of wealth persist.
paper talisman. paper universal currency. paper money
Overall, the shop offered a mix of traditional and modern touches, catering to different preferences and reflecting the balance between honoring cultural practices and personalizing the ritual in subtle ways.