ZILING CHEN discusses her original research into the tradition of funeral mourners in China. Professional wailers, or funeral mourners, are performers paid to present the eulogy at a funeral and lament the deceased through weeping and singing. Surprisingly, this seemingly out-of-no-where career has a history dating back 2000 years to the Han dynasty and is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture. On one hand, wailers … Continue reading Paid to Cry: Chinese Professional Wailers at Funeral