When I was a child, I went to the beach to pick up stones, and like every child, I hid the picked stones in their iron boxes. But I have never heard of the story in the film - the choice at this time also means feelings for relatives.
I only experienced seeing off the deceased once, and it was at night, but it wasn’t my relatives—the grandma who turned a corner (the age in China is always strange, everyone has to call me grandma). I was young then and seemed to have a vague concept of life and death. He was taken into the morgue in a daze, and he saw a row of dead people covered by white sheets, only showing his slightly changed feet, and shivered. Remember the cards with the names on them.
He was kneeling at the door of the morgue and burning paper for the dead. It seemed that it was autumn, the weather was cool, and the people roasting in the copper basin were comfortable. Looking at the twisted flames, I suddenly remembered how my grandmother peeled garlic and washed rice, and I also remembered the sour taste in her mouth, her strong accent, and the bayberry she left for me. Tears flowed uncontrollably. The night before she left, my mother was still in the hospital, and the adults in the family did not allow me to enter the room where my grandmother lay last, saying that I wanted to give the old man the last peace.
I think, in my home, people's departure is very quiet. It's just that I didn't participate in the actual funeral.
I remember what Xiao Lin-kun rebuked the female members of the NK office in the film - "Are parents who abandon their children like this? It's so irresponsible!" In fact, I have asked countless times, and I have also asked countless times. I asked in front of him again and again. Even the day before I saw this movie, I was still asking.
But the plot of the movie is quiet anyway. But in reality it is often not.
The influence in the movie is because of Kobayashi's respect and tenderness for the deceased, allowing the family to see the most beautiful moments in the deceased's life before parting. What an amazing art to bring to life a cold, stiff face. Scrub, change clothes, and make up for them, in my opinion, are all rituals, and no distractions and noise are allowed.
I don't know if I will be like Xiao Lin-kun, seeing off my father in thirty years, and I don't know if I will forget my father's appearance thirty years later. I just condemned myself for the thought of looking forward to the quick death of that ruthless person. Life and death are not optional, life or death are worthy of respect. I don't want to have forgiveness until my father is gone, but I want to pick up the phone and tell him I miss him, maybe he won't believe it. He is hard-hearted.
From this moment, the concept of death becomes clear and solemn. Art is art after all, and film is film after all. But I think that in life, we all treat the deceased with gentleness and respect, and let them leave beautifully and peacefully at the last moment, which is the most memorable moment for them and us. After all, "We'll all meet."
I still remember that a woman in the movie left lip prints on the face of the dead man, and the women laughed happily. Whoever said that seeing off is sad, laughing and leaving tears, this is also a great comfort to the deceased, let's leave with the love and blessings of the family.
This movie cost me half a roll of toilet paper, and even when I turned off the lights, I still felt a dull pain in my chest. But I am grateful and look forward to having such hands when I leave, warm my cheeks, wipe my body, put a string of clean beads on my gloves, and cut off the last strand of silk. Let me bless my family and hope they see my peaceful face without tears.
Of course, the last item I couldn't choose - the coffin didn't have to be that expensive.
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