Author: Mingwei Ma

I continued searching for cases and seek help from stakeholders: I continued searching for cases and seek help from stakeholders: One is a Designer for Modern Funeral Products, Brand name is 归从 (greatroam) This is a funeral supplies brand store that sells items such as spirit boxes, spirit tablets for altars, and Qingming Festival cultural… Continue reading Stakeholders :FEEDBACK/Brand Founder& Influencer

I completed editing the video I recorded of my family’s rituals during the Ghost Festival. The result was a simple video documenting my family rituals, where I included some of my thoughts and reflections through voice-over narration. The video also explains the offerings we used, the location, and the process of the rituals. Although the… Continue reading Intervention 4: Creating and Sharing the Ritual Video

The afternoon recording experience made me realize that I definitely couldn’t miss capturing the rituals on the evening of the Ghost Festival. However, my father was strongly opposed to my idea of recording the event. His resistance was rooted in many traditional taboos, such as the fear of offending the spirits or disturbing our deceased… Continue reading Intervention 3.0：The Evening Ritual

A New Perspective on Rituals This was my second intervention, a continuation of my initial attempt at documenting traditional rituals. I was inspired by Audrey Linkman’s book, Photography and Death, which discusses photographs of the deceased. What was once seen as inappropriate or macabre is now recognized for its beneficial role in bereavement therapy. The… Continue reading Intervention 2.0：Capturing Tradition

Documenting the Ghost Festival Rituals As my research progressed, I found myself entering the intervention stage of my independent study, coinciding with the Chinese lunar calendar’s 15th day of the seventh month—known as the Ghost Festival or Zhongyuan Festival. This day is traditionally believed to be when the gates of the underworld open, allowing spirits… Continue reading Intervention 1.0:Breaking the Taboo:

After conducting three interviews with a funeral supply wholesaler, a local funeral clothing shop owner, and my grandmother, I’ve gathered important insights that are critical for my research on breaking the rigid adherence to traditional funeral practices and introducing more personalized options. Key Findings: Impact on My Research and Next Steps: These findings reveal a… Continue reading Summary of Interviews and Research Insights

Exploring Local Funeral Supply Shops Following my conversation with my grandmother, I asked her if it would be possible to find the funeral shop where my grandfather’s burial clothes were purchased. She mentioned that the shop is still around, located in the neighborhood near our old family home. My first interview with the funeral supply… Continue reading Stakeholder: Local Funeral Supply Shops Owner

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… Continue reading Stakeholder :Funeral Supply Wholesaler

Are These Funeral-Related Behaviors Considered Wired? This survey is designed to explore how people view certain actions related to funeral practices and products. 1. Visiting a funeral supply store without a specific reason. 2. Taking photos or videos during ancestral worship on the Ghost Festival. 3. Purchasing aesthetically pleasing funeral items in advance for future… Continue reading Form Survey