Mourning as duty and reputation
In some Chinese funeral contexts, the public expression of grief is linked to filial piety and community judgment—families may worry that a quiet funeral suggests insufficient devotion. A first-person report in The World of Chinese explains that, in folk custom, insufficient crying can be interpreted as unfilial, encouraging families to hire mourners.
What is kusang?
The same report describes kusang as a formal mourning practice associated with Confucian ritual traditions and linked in narrative to the Rites of Zhou, framing crying and sung lament as a culturally meaningful farewell.
The "mourning lady" (kusangpo)
Professional mourners may be hired to cry, chant, and narrate the life of the deceased in ways that resonate with local expectations. The World of Chinese describes how mourners are sometimes engaged specifically to prevent the "embarrassment of a tearless funeral," and how the mourner's performance can prompt real emotion among attendees.
Performance that triggers real mourning
One of the most striking points from the account is that audiences often understand the mourner is performing, yet still respond emotionally—because the performance activates memory, loss, and communal recognition. The report describes mourners shifting roles (mourning as daughter, grandson, etc.) and using speech-song patterns that move listeners into authentic tears.
Professional mourning across Asia
Professional mourning is not limited to China. Asia Society notes that professional weeping exists across parts of Asia and describes how it can be used to create catharsis and encourage communal grieving. It also provides examples and commentary on how these roles function as part of funeral culture rather than as a novelty.
Modern misunderstanding: "fake crying" vs ritual labor
From the outside, hired mourning can be misread as insincere. But cultural reporting emphasizes that the role often exists precisely because funerals demand both respect and emotional expression, and not everyone can access grief on command—especially in public. In that context, the mourner's job becomes a form of emotional facilitation and ceremonial leadership.
Takeaway for funeral homes
The Chinese tradition illustrates a wider human pattern: communities often outsource parts of ritual not because grief is "unreal," but because rituals require skilled performance under pressure. Professional mourners can function like musicians, officiants, or ceremonial attendants—specialists who help a family carry a difficult day.