The traditional funeral civilisation is gradually disappearing due to the rising concern of social issues such as environmental protection, land occupation rate, technology development, etc. Meanwhile, the accelerated pace of modern life and family diaspora, for example, life, study and works factors, social environment, epidemic, etc. which may cause people to be more helpless in time and space when planning a funeral, further intensifying the process of fracturing traditional funeral culture, and making its main body at the mercy of specialised funeral institutions. But it cannot be denied that such fixed funeral procedures which manipulated by modern funeral industry are indeed meaningless and lacking in sincerity. Meanwhile, it also reflects the partial absence of modern people at the faith level in a multicultural and modern society. Suey has personally participated the funeral of a loved one. The process-oriented steps of the funeral service industry have replaced the traditional funeral ceremony, all of which makes me feel bleak. As the current social environment has been affected by the unexpected epidemic, it has also given me a deeper understanding and appreciation of funeral culture.
Suey Xiao lives in southwest China, the civilisation of this region has been subliminally influenced by the Yi ethnic group since ancient times till the present. She believes that the death of a life only means its carrier loses vitality, while the soul can continue to exist in the world, maybe as wind, rain or any other forms. This view has common thinking with the traditional Yi people, as they believe that through cremation, hair becomes grass, muscles become soil, bones become stone, breath becomes fog, and blood turns into rain dew. The civilisation, culture and belief also contains the philosophy, which implies the inseparable relationship between humanity and nature. Suey would like to be a textile communicator, as a link between the past and the present. Hoping bring this once-existing ritual culture to the public, so that more people can understand and be interested in this history. Even though people from different generations and backgrounds have some common understanding of funerals and the concept of life and death. The evolution of all external is necessary and positive, which means that we all need to preserve the products of our historical heritages more.
In addition, Suey would like to continue the challenge of reinventing and innovating more different rituals, using textile, performance, film or other forms as connections and communications.
