Let’s meet the last professional mourners of Manila's Chinatown. Smart Stella dreams of a better job to be able to get back the custody of her beloved son from her ex-husband. Then there is Doray, a bit player of the '70's whose life revolves around the glory days of her B-movies career. Choleng is a religious and naive woman who simply cannot resist the sexual advances of her best friend's husband. They all accept a part-time job as the professional mourners for a traditional Chinese funeral and they have to cry for 5 days!
The story of these three women is given life in the context of a funeral wake. Against all odds in life, they survive and emerge victorious in the many little ways that make up real life. First-time director Mark Meily brings a heartwarming comedy that moves the audience to tears and laughter.
Traditional Chinese funeral has appeared in both Crying Ladies and Singapore Dreaming. The influence of Chinese culture is strong in both countries, so I think it’s necessary to shed some light on the traditional Chinese funeral.
First of all, Chinese understand death in a different way. It’s a traditional belief that soul exists inside the body, and when the body dies the soul will still be with the body for several days. After that, it will leave and go to the nether world. A funeral is a big event for the whole family, and during the funeral people actually think the dead is watching what they are doing. It’s not good to hold one’s feelings at a Chinese funeral. The right way is to cry them out, and it shows how you miss and care about the decedent. In order to show full respect, sometimes people will hire outside professional mourners for cry their loved ones. They cry for days, but, unlike in the movie, they also talk to the decedent when they are crying. The content is usually similar to some kind of confession which involves feeling sorry for not treating the decedent well enough when he is alive and asking for forgiveness. The tradition may be a little different from place to place, because mourners in other places may sing songs when they are crying.
In some scenes, things made of paper are burnt during the funeral. This is considered as an essential part, and the items that are burnt is believed to be transformed into things that can be used by the decedent in the nether world. A lot of things are burnt in the film including houses, vehicles, TVs, etc. The most common thing Chinese burn at a funeral, however, is a kind of false paper money specially “used” for the dead. People will burn them at a certain time every year to the decedent they miss and love hoping that his or her life in the other world is happy.
In some scenes, things made of paper are burnt during the funeral. This is considered as an essential part, and the items that are burnt is believed to be transformed into things that can be used by the decedent in the nether world. A lot of things are burnt in the film including houses, vehicles, TVs, etc. The most common thing Chinese burn at a funeral, however, is a kind of false paper money specially “used” for the dead. People will burn them at a certain time every year to the decedent they miss and love hoping that his or her life in the other world is happy.
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The review gives us some light on the habits and customs with the Chinese funerals. Clear, concise, not reduandant and fluent. An excellent piece of writing!
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