Thursday, October 05, 2006

The next life will be better

Catholics have their heaven. Muslims have their virgins. And, now I learn that Chinese bachelors find a wife in the afterlife.

Some Chinese believe that they have an obligation to meet the needs of their dead ancestors. Some may need money, so the survivors bury 'monopoly money' with the corpse. Others may need a car, hence a paper model of a Lincoln. Bachelors need a wife. The family seeks out the body of a dead woman, usually buys it from her family, and buries it next to their son. If they can't find or afford one (they can cost as much as four years' income), they make one of straw.

We are strange creatures. Are we not? But we're all looking for a better life in the next world, whether or not it exists.

1 comment:

R J Adams said...

Oh dear! Having had five wives in this life I was rather hoping for a rest period in the hereafter.........