Birth and death are the two constants of life. Everything that happens in between these two points in our lives can vary based on the circumstances, but there’s no denying that we will come into this world, and, if things pan out relatively well, we’ll leave it peacefully. But while the whole process of being born has become a cornerstone of capitalism (gender reveal parties, YouTube families, etc.), dying hasn’t gotten the same amount of attention or care. Despite its inevitable nature, we don’t really talk about it as long as it manifests in the form of physical or psychological signs. Death anniversaries are not something worth organizing unless they’re for a popular person, thereby sending the message that it’s okay if you’re not remembered one or two years after you’re gone. Hence, the system around disposing of our mortal remains, especially in third-world countries, is quite depressing. However, Death Education shows that not only is it important to start learning about death as early as possible, but also that, as a society, inculcating an attitude of respect when it comes to funerals is of utmost significance.
Yuxuan Ethan Wu’s Death Education is centered around the annual Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day, where families visit the gravesites of their loved ones to commemorate their passing on by, as the name suggests, cleaning the tombs and making ritualistic offerings. But what about those who don’t have a family to do that? Even worse, what about all those people, entire families, who died during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s nobody to bury their remains or do a ritual for them? Well, the movie follows a high school teacher and his students as they go to a funeral home to take care of the ashes of all those unnamed individuals, some of them being children, lying unattended. They help the funeral directors transport the ashes to a cemetery, they partake in the burial process, and then they hold a little prayer ceremony to ensure the safe passage of the deceased into the afterlife. And that’s about it. However, the somber nature of this process can be educational, because once you understand, from a young age, that life is finite, you begin respecting it instead of treating it frivolously.
Apart from the obvious, Death Education is an important reminder about how devastating the COVID-19 pandemic was. Many will probably find the topic to be unnecessary or incredibly dour, but I think our memories surrounding that global event need to be jogged on a periodic basis because there’s a concerted effort from the mass media factory, entertainment industries, and even our governments to get us to just move on from it. As if it was just a bad phase that humanity went through and we should simply forget about it instead of learning something from it. However, if we treat every catastrophic incident like a minor speed bump, how are we ever going to be prepared as a species for something as inescapable as death? I don’t know about every other country, but I’ve seen how the health sector and the funeral services of my country absolutely crumbled because nobody ever focused on those two departments until the time was nigh. Sure, it was an unprecedented situation, but can I say that things have improved now? No, absolutely not, because all the focus is on “celebrating the defeat of the virus” and establishing the “new normal.”
It’s true that life needs to be celebrated, and everyone should get to spend every moment of their life like it’s their last. But I feel that dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic taught me that a dignified death is equally important. Just to be clear, you should be thankful for the privilege that has been bestowed upon you by your parents and your ancestors that allowed you to avoid the devastating affair entirely or simply watch it from afar. However, that wasn’t really the case for the rest. A lot of us had to watch our loved ones or family members of our colleagues and friends go through hell. Some of those who were grievously affected by the virus spent their last moments all alone because they were quarantined and there wasn’t anyone to hold their hand. And probably the worst part was that, after their passing, their families didn’t even get to see their faces or receive their mortal remains because that’s how overwhelmed the system was. So, watching a bunch of students paying their respects to all those unfortunate souls, who would’ve been ignored for no fault of their own, was oddly comforting.
Death Education is definitely about recontextualizing death, but I think it also recontextualizes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China. Yeah, I haven’t forgotten about all the racist remarks that were hurled at the Chinese, or anyone whose appearance was remotely East Asian, because, allegedly, the government and scientists of that country were responsible for the outbreak. Now, we can go back and forth about who was the guilty party and who saved the world, but that doesn’t change the fact that innocent people died. They were going about their lives, and suddenly they found out that their death certificate had been issued. On top of that, the global media was painting it as some conspiracy to curb population growth and whatnot. That’s devastating, and dealing with it must’ve been as painful for the Chinese folks as it was for us. And it’s kind of humbling to witness a high school teacher and a bunch of students not treating the dead as a statistic or an excuse for some politically charged statement by merely conducting a quiet ritual. Usually, the presence of a documentary crew can feel intrusive, but the way Yuxuan Ethan Wu goes about it, the camera seems invisible to the students while also immersing you in the therapeutic process.
In closing, I want to say that Death Education is definitely a must-watch for all. It’s a really well-made short film. The editing, the shot choices, the narration, and the poetic nature of the visual storytelling are beautiful. In addition to that, I think this movie should be broadcast all over the world so that governments, educational institutes, and humanitarian organizations can emulate this tradition that has been initiated by the high school teacher in question. As per Yuxuan Ethan Wu, this particular custom does witness some backlash from parents who think their kids will be cursed for dealing with the dead. But, in my humble opinion, there’s nothing more cursed than dying alone and then having your last remains get discarded in an indifferent way. I feel that we should learn about the intricacies of death from an early age and create a culture of acknowledging the inevitability of death as much as we celebrate the vibrancy of life. I don’t know for sure if it’ll lead to the betterment of society, but I don’t think there’s any harm in trying. On a side note, please watch The Seventh Seal, because it also talks about accepting death while a plague ravages the country.