From Resonance to Echo: A Cross-Border Symphony of Life Culture

In November, we traveled to Changsha to attend the China Funeral Industry Annual Conference, bringing The Five Stations of Life’s Epilogue from a conceptual idea on paper to actionable practice, resonating in an international exchange.

A month later, this resonance transformed into a tangible echo. We were honored to receive a response from China Civil Affairs University in Beijing. During the festive Christmas season, a delegation from the university’s Life Culture Institute visited Malaysia’s Xiao En Memorial Park and Xiao En Centre for a two-day on-site exchange. The delegation explored the physical spaces and engaged in in-depth discussions with Life Practitioners. Because of the shared mission of promoting life education, this cross-border exchange of life culture is gradually forming a symphony, paving the way for future systematic collaborations in school-industry research and learning programmes.

Moreover, we witnessed the rigor and dedication of an academic institution. The delegation, conducting field research on the funeral culture of the Chinese community in Malaysia and Singapore, collected real-world data, bringing discussions of life and death back into Chinese academic discourse, public debate, and lived social experience.

Looking ahead to 2025, the final visit will quietly lay the foundation for the next milestone in life education, continuing this journey of cross-cultural dialogue and shared learning.