應用外語科
專題製作報告
Death Maker
學生: 吳鈴淯Ling-yu Abbe Wu
郝芳群Fang-chun Channel Hao
指導老師: 張玉英Yu-ying Chris Chang
中華民國九十八年一月
Contents
I. Introduction……………………………………………………………3II. Thesis…………………………………………………………………4 A. Death Makers……………………………………………………4 1. Definition…………………………………………………….4 2. Their Appearance…………………………………………….5 3. Factors that influence them…………………………………..6 4. Current Situations…………………………………………….7 B. Inside world of Death Makers…………………………………...8 1. Interview……………………………………………………..8
a. The Beginning Of Her Career…………………………….8 b. Her special experience……………………………………8 c. The Expectations of her…………………………………..9 2.Questionnaire…………………………………………………9
( A result List )……………………………………………..10 C. Comparison……………………………………………………..11 1. The Difference of Death Maker and Makeup Man…………11
D. Discussion……………………………………………………...12 1. The Reason Why We Compare Them……………………...12 2. The Right Attitude………………………………………….13
3. The Importance and Significant Meanings…………………13III. Conclusion………………………………………………………….14 IV. References………………………………………………………….17 V. Appendix……………………………………………………………18
I. Introduction
In Chinese culture, people believe that good person die with a complete body whereas a bad one die by cutting their corps in pieces. Thus, when someone passes away, because of some reasons, their body or face might be broken, destroyed or incomplete, a death maker will come to help incomplete dead people. A death maker will try their utmost to do the whole body cosmetology and make the dead just like what they were before they died. In other words, “Death makers” are the persons who make up the corpses. Death maker exist because the bereaved want their deceased family members to leave the earth in complete and in beauty.
“Death Maker” is a special and a rising career, but it is not an easy job. Many years ago, few people wanted to engage in it. Most of the people at that time considered that any career related to funerals was inauspicious, and they were afraid to contact any subject which might cause misfortune. Thus, the profession of Death Maker at that time was not so welcome. However, some experts who have been in this industry for years are still safe and alright now. More than this, people nowadays are not afraid to be death makers. They even participate in it collectively. A death maker, who has been in this career for more than 20 years, said that it might be the delusion of the high salary or it could be the sense of mystery to make some young people get into this career.
Why does this job become popular recently? Do young people get into the industry just because of high salary? Or does this career possess unconscious mysteries that make people want to equal to this exciting job? To find these answers, we will find out some related information online and in the library and study it. In addition, we will interview a death maker and hope her experiences help us clarify what death maker is and what difficulties they encounter. Moreover, we will deliver a questionnaire to passers-by to respond how they fell about death makers and interview them. After all, death makers play an important role in human life, so the importance of the death maker is what we should understand. When we comprehend this career, we may change our attitude and opinion and keep the right attitude to it. Eventually, we hope the society can give the grand respects to death maker.
II. Thesis
A. Death Makers
1. Definition
Death Maker is a rising and gradually popular career, but what is the content of the work? Let us take you on a voyage of discovery!
Basically, we can divide the work in two parts, face make up and body recondition. Face make up is to put on some foundations with skin color to make the
death’s pale face sheen. If the death were female, then death maker would use blush, eyeshadow, or lipstick to make them just like the look when they were alive. If the death were male, then death maker would shave their moustache and cut their hair to make their appearance more naturally and peacefully.
Body recondition is to clean the body, or to do recondition on those who have damage or incomplete body with gypsum, resin, etc. Mostly dead people caused in car accidents have seriously damaged or separated bodies, and death makers will seam them together, to make the death keep their original look. Sometimes the death family will request death makers to antisepticise the body. And death maker will follow the blood vessel to pour formalin into it, and then they would suffer from the stink of it.
2. Their Appearance
The definite time that the Death Maker appears in Taiwan is untraceable. Some people say that the profession started in the ancient ceremony; some say that this profession emerges in the recent ten years. However, we found an article which record a funeral treating process in United Daily News in 1959, saying that” Wang Yuanlong’s remains was finished making up at 7:20 p.m.” This is the first report to mention Death Makers.
During 1990 to 2000, the concept of Death Maker was gradually built in society, and there were also some related reports and news. In 2000, “Death Maker” was known by the public widely, but accepted slowly.
3. Factors that influence death makers
Generally speaking, “Death maker” is a job that can’t be accepted by average people in the past. However, although people now are almost can accept this job, but there still have some people can’t embrace it. We interview a death maker and she said something about after she in this job and her family’s reaction. “My family didn’t oppose me to in this job. Because it’s “my” job, not theirs. So basically my family is stand for me. As to my friends, they also support me to in this career, they even think it’s cool. So people around me are all support me”. Then we asked her did there have something she can’t join, such as wedding. She said, “That’s true! After I in this job, many friends or relatives got married, and I couldn’t went there because people always thinks about the taboo that it will bring bad luck. So I usually sent some money or presents to them instead of attending”. As we can see, although her family and friends are all support her, but there are still some people considered about her job. So she must avoid some function in order to follow the custom that we always
followed.
4. Current situations
The thought of some elder people are quite conservative, so they couldn’t accept new things than young people. However, time is changed. Now, in this society that fills the information and thought, many things can be digests and accept quickly by multitude. We interview her some question that what she thinks about current society. “Actually, I think Taiwanese are misgiving too much! Everybody afraid this afraid that. I think we just know we do the things right and don’t do bad things, so we can live our life comfortably”. Some situations show the time is changed. There are many teenagers decide to join in the industry of death makers. Here is her point of view. “There are many people, especially teenagers, want to join in this job. I think the time is changed, so there are many people are not afraid of taboo. Maybe it’s related with our poor economic situation that let them want to earn money in this way”. These are her thought and some point view. But it’s not only her own thought but also the current people’s thought. So we know the time is changed and we should try to accept not only this industry but also the new thought.
B. Inside world of Death Makers
1. Interview
a. The Beginning Of Her Career
Miss. Lin who we interviewed is a thirty five-year-old woman. Three years ago, Miss. Lin was a specialized makeup person in the department store for ten years, due to this long-term job, she grew weary of this career. She wanted to change her job, also wanted to do something can have peace. Through her colleague’s introduction, she joined the “Death Maker“. In beginning she couldn’t endure contacting death bodies every day, but even now she passed these hard times. Now is her third year of this career.
b. Her special experience
The unusual things she met are many. Miss Lin said “The most unforgettable guest is a man, killed himself with drinking pesticides, be found after five days. I suggest everyone sincerely not to kill yourself by this way. You can’t image that was a person. And you don’t know how he came this way. His skin was broken, many maggots and ovum crept around his body. I had to wear five masks to obstruct stink invade my nose, washed his body, face, viscera, even his eyeball, more than three
times. Oh! It was inconceivable.”
c. The Expectations of her
According to the information we found from internet, many death makers have different expectations, we also asked Miss Lin what is her expectations. “I hope more and more people not just know we are important but can comprehend and respect this career. And also hope though can more open, not just rigidly adhere in hidebound custom.”
2. Questionnaire
While we do this research project, we found much information and many facts. We also observed current phenomena. However, we don’t know what teenagers exactly think about this career. So we delivered a questionnaire to 40 people and ask
them help us to do this questionnaire. The questions on the questionnaire include what’s theirs first impression of “Death Maker”, what do they think when they hear the Death Maker’s contents of job, if there has “Death Makers” in their family, what would they do to him/her and do they think this career is important. The following is
the result of the questionnaire.
At the first question we ask what are theirs first impression of “Death maker”. 50% of them have no idea with it, 30% think it is considered and 20% think it’s dreadful. (See Table 1) The second question is what they think when they heard the Death Maker’s job contents. There are 60% people have no idea with it, 25% people just know they make up to death people and 15% of them know they dressed death people up. (See Table 2) The third question is asked them if there is any death makers in their family, what will they do to him/her. Half of them will support him/her, 35% people will not to deal with him/her, 10% of them will kick him/her out and 5% people have no idea. (See Table 3) Last question is asked them do they consider this career important or not. 70% people say yes and other people say no. (See Table 4)
Table 1
1. What is your first impression of “Death Maker“?
No idea 50%
Considered 30%
Dreadful 20%
Table 2
2. What did you think when you hear the Death Maker’s job contents?
No idea 60%
Make up death people 25%
Dressed death people up 15%
Table 3
3. If there is any “Death Makers” in your family, what will you do to him/her?
Kick him/her out 10%
Not to deal with him/her 35%
Support him/her 50%
No idea 5%
Table 4
4. Do you consider this career important?
Yes 70%
No 30%
C. Comparison
After reading the material about “Death Maker” and makeup persons, we form general concept of differences between death makers and makeup persons. (See table below) The number of makeup persons in Taiwan is relative more than that of death makers. As to popularity, people like makeup persons more than death makers. However, makeup persons’ salary is less than death makers. In addition, death makers’ working hours are much longer than those of makeup persons. Death makers do this job because of money, makeup persons do their job because of their interest. Concerning advantages and disadvantages, death maker’s salary is usually high. Compared to makeup persons, people want to approach “Death Maker” less. Makeup persons can develop their ideas heartily, but it’s hard to identify with. It is also found
the languages they use are different when they are working. Death makers usually use Taiwanese and Hakka. Makeup persons often use Chinese and English. Citing.(http://tw.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=1509010604732)
Occupation
Features
The Death Maker
The Makeup Person
Amount of people
－
＋
Popularity
－
＋
Salary
＋
－
Hours for work
＋
－
Reasons
Money
Interest
Advantages
High salary
More ideas heartily
Disadvantages
Intimidation
Enthusiasm
Languages
Taiwanese & Hakka
Chinese & English
D. Discussion
1. Death Makers V.S. Makeup Person
After working on much information and documenting of death makers and the results of interview and the questionnaire. We found most of the people just knew what makeup person do. In contrast, they seemed to know nothing about what death makers do. Also people’s comprehension of the career of death maker is not so clear.
So we made this comparison to make people have more understanding of the differences between death makers and makeup people. Moreover, those who want to be death makers can identify pros and cons of this career and can make the choice easily.
2. The Right Attitude
When average people hear death makers, they mostly will say, “What’s that?” or “They sound horrible.” Someone even said, “If any of my relatives is a death maker, I’ll kick him or her out!” Why do they say so? Maybe they think that Death Maker is a shameful job or an unspeakable job.
Funeral career is always the one we need and we all rely on. But people regard it as taboo. Actually, we should give them more and more respect, and let them get their deserved respect.
3. The Importance and Significant Meanings
Everybody will face death. In this developing country, people emphasize their appearances more and more carefully. Girls like to make up themselves, whereas boys
like to use decorations to make them more handsome. Nowadays, the concept of being beautiful grows deeper and wider.
There’s a proverb saying, “Fine feathers make fine birds.” The death also wants to pass away completely and beautifully. Accordingly to the importance of Death Maker become more and more as the time goes on. The requirement of Death Maker is higher and higher. Therefore, the meaning of Death Maker is also significant now. The career of Death Maker is no long a taboo. Instead, it’s a great job that can help the death leave their last beautiful memory and image for their family.
III. Conclusion
At the beginning, we are both interested with “Death maker”, so we choose it to make our project research. We found many facts, information and things when we do the project. At first, we made an introduction to lead people into our research. In the introduction, we introduce death maker’s job contents. Average people think they just make up to death people and dressed them up, but actually, they will do the whole body cosmetology and make the dead just like what they were before they died. Then we mention about that most people in many years ago were afraid of contact with this job because it will bring them bad luck. However, there are still some experts who worked more than 20 years. Then the time is changed, many young people want to get
into this career. Not just because of the high salary and unconscious mysteries, we also can see the thought is gradually opened and wider.
After we made the introduction, we began to make our “beef”, the thesis. At first, we definition “Death maker” and search when did they appearance. Although we can’t find the exact time that this career appeared, but we found an article which record a funeral treating process in News paper. This made us know more about this career. Then we found some factors that influence death makers, in this part, we interview a real death maker. She talks about her family and some occasions that she can’t attend. Then we talk about current situations. We all knew the time is changed, but there still have some old thought and taboo between us. The death maker said that she thinks Taiwanese are misgiving too much and emphasize we should do right things, so we can afraid of nothing.
In order to more understand this career, we do the interview and the survey. We interviewed a real death maker and asked her some questions. Then we made a questionnaire for 40 teenagers to do. In the interview, we found many facts that we don’t know. Such as we always thinks that they do this job is reluctant. But she said she wants to get into this career is because she wants to do something can have peace. The questionnaire can see teenager’s thought and we can use it as our consultation.
There are a career called Makeup Man, it’s different from “Death maker”. So
we made a comparison to make people can clearly know the differences. Finally, we made a discussion. We talked about the right attitude and importance and significant meanings. We should hold a right attitude toward the things that we don’t know or afraid, not just keep away from them. So we should give death makers more respect and support. The importance of “Death maker” is gradually growing and the requirement of “Death maker” is higher and higher. So we can see the thought of people is gradually opened and can accept it well.
Finally, “Death maker” is no longer just a taboo, but it’s a great job that many people can accept it. And we should always hold this attitude toward life.
IV. References
Cheng, hsuehyung. “遺體化妝賽 新人輩出.” Libertytimes. 29 July. 2006 <http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2006/new/jul/29/today-life11.htm#top>.
Wu, haiyen. “殯儀指導師調侃死亡珍惜生命.” Mingpaotor. 17 Mar. 2008. <http://www.mingpaotor.com/htm/News/20080317/waa.htm>.
Wu, chiayen. “另類公僕眾生相.” <http://www.tpml.edu.tw/blind/cgi/dlpic.php?filename=9209016.txt>
Li, chienchau. “零距離看遺體美容師.” Gxnews. 13 Oct. 2008.
V. Appendix
Questionnaire
I really appreciate your time. We are doing a research paper on “ The Death Maker”. We want to know what does people think of this career. Therefore, we made this questionnaire. Your answers will help me a lot.
1. What is your first impression of “Death Maker“?
No idea
Considered
Dreadful
2. What did you think when you hear the Death Maker’s job contents?
No idea
Make up death people
Dressed death people up
3. If there is any “Death Makers” in your family, what will you do to him/her?
Kick him/her out
Not to deal with him/her
Support him/her
No idea
4. Do you consider this career important?
Yes
No
