Delve Deep Into Death at This Qingming Holiday Event, Apr 5

For centuries humans have tried anything in their power to avoid kicking the bucket, be it dietary changes or exercising or, in the case of one ancient Chinese ruler, consuming straight up mercury thinking it to be the answer to immortality. In the end, and to paraphrase a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, death is unavoidable – whether it be experiencing it, or simply talking about it.

Talking about death can open doors to understanding this inevitability; helping us come to terms with it. Enter the Death Café, which despite the name is not so much a Grim Reaper-themed place for a hit of caffeine as it is a place for discussion of the dreaded “d” word.

Started in the UK in 2017, Death Cafés are a social franchise in which people gather to drink tea or coffee, eat food, and talk about death with the objective of, in the words of their founders, increasing “awareness about death with a view of helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.”

Hosted once before in Beijing, this second iteration is set to take place over the Qingming holiday, making this time around an interesting time for conversation about the topic of death. "It's going to be a very good topic starter," says event host Alma. By hosting these events in Beijing, Alma is confident more people can understand and feel comfortable with death, saying she aims to create “the space for people to open up their heard when they feel the environment is supportive and safe.”

Death Café Beijing No. 2 is happening on Friday, Apr 5 from 3pm onwards near Longfusi. Entry is RMB 44 with drinks included, but space is limited. To find out more about registering, read this post here.

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Images courtesy of the organizers