Yes, this really is a funeral — and yes, that's a dancer in full glam performing by the coffin. In some parts of rural China, funerals aren’t just solemn farewells — they’re major community events. Traditionally, families would host multi-day ceremonies where people stayed up all night to "守灵" (shǒu líng) — guard the soul of the deceased. But how do you keep a whole village awake for that long? You bring in the entertainment. What started as folk opera and storytelling slowly evolved into singin