从事殡葬业的大学生

从事殡葬业的大学生 　　Serving as a funeral host may not be the most glamorous occupation, but it's one that Tang Lei, a 23-year-old senior at the Radio & Film College of Chengdu University of Technology in Sichuan Province, has called the most important experience of his life. 　　当一名葬礼主持人也许不是什么光鲜亮丽的职业，但是对于成都理工大学广播电影学院大四学生，23岁的唐磊来说，这是他人生中最重要的经历。 　　"When I first started it was a scary thought to be working around dead people all day," Tang said. "Now, however, I've realized how polite and courteous it's made me, and simply how grateful to be alive." 　　“刚开始工作那会儿，我总觉得整天围着死人工作很恐怖。”唐磊说，“然而现在，我已经意识到这份工作让我变得如此谦恭且有礼貌，也理解了能够活着是多么值得感激的事情。” 　　Celebrating life 　　赞美生命 　　"I was just so intrigued when I saw the job posting for funeral host," Tang said. "What kind of challenges would such a job present? I really had no idea at the time." 　　唐磊说：“当看到殡葬礼仪师的启事时，我感到很好奇。从事这样的工作会面对怎样的挑战?当时我真是对此一无所知。” 　　Unexpectedly, he passed his interviews and has been officially working in his post at the Chengdu Tiandi Shengyuan Funeral Service Co since March. He said that the first few weeks were especially trying, despite the fact that his company sent him to a special training class to learn the nuances of traditional Chinese funeral rites. 　　没想到的是，他竟然通过了，三月份时正式入职成都天地圣苑殡仪服务公司。他说，最初几周，尽管公司把他送到特别培训班去学习中国传统葬礼的各种细节，但自己完全是在尝试。 　　Starting as a green hand, he often had trouble falling asleep and would be beset by nightmares of the dead people he'd helped shepherd to their final resting place. 　　作为一个新手，他时常夜不能寐，还常常做噩梦，梦到自己曾经主持下葬过的逝者们。 　　"As time went by, I started to understand that a funeral could be a way to celebrate the life of the deceased, not just grieve," Tang said. "I started to view it in a more hopeful light." 　　“一天天过去，我开始懂得葬礼可以成为一种赞美逝者生命的方式，不仅仅只有悲伤而已，”唐磊说，“我开始以一种更加充满希望的态度来看待它。” 　　A personal touch 　　亲身感触 　　This shift in perspective led Tang to embrace the business even more wholeheartedly, taking a daring plunge into funeral design. He said he hopes to inject a bit more individuality and creativity into the funeral process. 　　观念上的转变使得唐磊更加全心全意地融入了这份事业，也使他大胆地投入到葬礼的中去。他希望能在葬礼过程中注入多一点的个性与创意元素。 　　"I'm trying to make funerals feel more comfortable – more like cozy farewell parties than the ultimate good-bye. Funerals should not only serve to memorialize the dead, but also to give hope to those they've left behind." 　　“我试着让葬礼感觉更加舒服——看上去更像一个温馨的惜别会而并非生离死别。葬礼不该仅仅是为了追念逝者，还要给予生者希望。” 　　Tang cited one particularly outstanding funeral he organized a few months ago, for a mother who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and planned the funeral alongside Tang in her dying days. They bought two stuffed bears and stitched a card over each one's heart, bearing the farewell words of the mother. Tang then dressed the bears in clothes studded with heart-shaped patches, represented the mother's pain and love. 　　唐磊举了一个例子，是他在几个月之前组织的一场成功的葬礼。一个被确诊癌症晚期的母亲在最后的日子里同唐磊一起策划自己的葬礼。他们买了两只玩具小熊并且把卡片封存在这对小熊里，每张卡片上都写着这位母亲告别的话语。之后唐磊为小熊穿上衣服，衣服上面缝满了心形的补丁，代着母亲病中的伤痛以及对孩子们的爱。 　　Tang said that watching the children honor their deceased mother – all without shedding a tear – was his proudest moment. 　　唐磊说看见两个孩子为逝去的母亲而感到光荣，全程没有流一滴眼泪，这是让他感到最骄傲的时刻。 　　"Many people, including my parents, don't understand why I'd choose this job," Tang said, "I've told them that there's an entire culture behind funerals." 　　“包括我父母在内的许多人都不理解我为何要选择这份工作。”唐磊说，“我告诉他们殡葬业背后所蕴含的是其实是一整个文化。” 　　Changing the status quo 　　改变现状 　　Yang Dong, one of Tang's colleagues at the funeral home, said that there's a prosperous future ahead for funeral directors in China as the country continues its march toward greater development. 　　杨东是唐磊在葬礼之家的一位同事，他说随着中国的发展进步，葬礼承办人的发展前景十分广阔。 　　"Funerals will get more elaborate and require even greater attention to detail. It can't just be handled by mindless automatons – it takes a special touch nowadays." 　　葬礼需要更精心的设计，有更多的对细节的关注。不能仅仅依靠不动脑筋的机械操作——当下的葬礼需要有特别的味道。 　　Jiang Lin, the director of the Tiandi Shengyuan Funeral Service Co, said that he's particularly eager to hire fresh graduates, that their energy and perspective can breathe new life into an often monotonous and tedious business. "They really challenge the traditional notions of what a funeral is. It may be difficult to accept at first, but it will ultimately make funerals more personal and meaningful." 　　天地圣苑殡仪服务公司主管江林表示，自己非常希望能够聘用一些高校的应届毕业生，因为大学生的活力和想法可以给这份单调而乏味的事业注入新生命。“他们确实能够挑战传统殡葬观念。也许起初难以接受，但最终他们可以让葬礼变得更具个性，也更有意义。”