The lunch hour was a scene of chaos: some were busy eating, others were off seeking entertainment, and only a sparse few remained to keep watch over the funeral vigil.
The most essential part of a funeral is the formal obituary. It must detail the deceased’s dates of birth and death, their resume and lifelong achievements, and list all their descendants—children, nephews, and grandchildren—within the five degrees of mourning. This is then posted on a rectangular wooden board outside the main gate for all to see.
Since a great many people were expected to pay their respects to Director Gu and attend the burial, the obituary was of particular importance. The task had been volunteered for by the elderly father of the second workshop’s director—a man well into his seventies with a youthful, rosy complexion and white hair, said to have been a scholar in his youth. The old man was currently wearing his reading glasses, nibbling on the end of a calligraphy brush, contemplating how to begin.
Chapter 87