China may be giving striptease funerals the last rites after officials arrested five people and ordered an end to the practice, state media said on Thursday.
Strip shows have been commonly used to attract more mourners to funerals, as villagers believe a crowded send-off brings more honor to the deceased, Xinhua news agency said.
But police took action after state television exposed the “obscene performances” at a funeral in Donghai county, Jiangsu province, with 200 people including children in attendance, it said.
“When the performance reached a climax, two performers started stripping and to show their charm. They even dragged audiences onto the stage to join them,” Beijing News said, citing the television report.
Wealthier families in villages often employ two troupes of performers to try to draw a crowd at the funerals of their loved ones.
After the television report, the local government quickly issued an order to stop the practice and demanded that village committees have to report details of each funeral plan within 12 hours after a villager dies.
A hotline was also set up for residents to report on “funeral misdeeds,” it said. The funeral striptease is also a popular custom in parts of Taiwan. – AFP