Yesterday, at Changqing Garden Bone Ash Forest, family members repeatedly touched the names of the deceased on the tombstones. Photo by reporter Shen Wang. Yesterday, at Changqing Garden Bone Ash Forest, a daughter offered flowers to her deceased father, who was a body donor. Photo by reporter Shen Wang.
Report by reporter Dongna Di: "Silent Good Teachers" - this is the highest honor given to voluntary body donors in the medical field. In the afternoon yesterday, in front of the 'Life' Monument in Changqing Garden Bone Ash Forest, the Beijing Red Cross Society and the Beijing Anatomical Society held a special collective memorial activity - 'Life' Remembrance Meeting, to mourn those who had passed away and voluntarily donated their bodies.
"Father, I've come to see you." The daughter gently wiped her father's name on the monument, tears falling one by one. Her father, Lu Jingrui's name was lined up with many others; they were all voluntary body donors.
More than 500 people held chrysanthemums in their hands, silently mourning and paying tribute to those who voluntarily donated their bodies for the cause of medicine.
The tribute payers included staff from the Body Donation Acceptance Stations of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing Medical University, Capital Medical University, representatives from various medical colleges and medical workers, members of the Beijing Red Cross Society, the Beijing Anatomical Society, and volunteers of the Beijing Red Cross Society.
Vice President Shijie Lü of the Beijing Red Cross Society introduced that since 1999, the Beijing Red Cross Society has been responsible for implementing the voluntary body donation acceptance work in Beijing. After ten years, as of now, there have been 12,516 people registered to donate their bodies voluntarily, among which 6,508 have completed notarization, and 1,088 have realized body donations.
In 2010, three 'Voluntary Body Donation Registration Acceptance Stations' accepted 146 voluntary body donors, alleviating to some extent the overly tight situation of anatomical specimens for medical education and research in Beijing.
To commemorate the voluntary body donors, the Beijing Red Cross Society and the Beijing Anatomical Society hold remembrance activities every year before the Qingming Festival. So far, they have continuously held four editions of the 'Life' Remembrance Meeting.
■ Story
Convincing her children to donate her husband's body
Gui Lan Tian found her husband's name on the monument, squatted down, and silently stared at it. Behind her sunglasses were tear-filled eyes.
"I am the wife of body donor Shou Xin Zhao. I represent my family here to commemorate him. Thank you for still remembering my old partner," said the 72-year-old retired teacher Gui Lan Tian, choking with emotion.
Last May, Shou Xin Zhao passed away at the age of 74. Before his death, he and his wife had both done notarization for body donation, "This is the consensus reached by our couple. I will follow his last wish, accompany my partner for the last time, and then I contacted the Capital Medical University Body Acceptance Station."
Their children could not agree to donate their father's body at all, unable to understand why their father would have such a desire. Gui Lan Tian worked on her children, hoping they could understand their father's choice.
Gui Lan Tian said, donating the body is a good thing, look at death more lightly, it's not a big deal. After cremation, wearing the best clothes and jewelry, what can it do? It would also bring a lot of trouble to the children. A piece of grave land costs at least tens of thousands of yuan, it's really not necessary.
"Considering personal interests, donating the body can reduce the burden on children. From the perspective of the country, it contributes to the country's medical research and the early success of angels in white coats. I am willing to make contributions to medicine," said Gui Lan Tian. These words, she only dared to say to confidants, "I'm afraid people around me won't understand me, thinking I am too cruel, wanting to be buried after death."
Gui Lan Tian said she would encourage her children to participate in body donation in the future.
■ Deceased
Fulfilling a lifelong wish, winning posthumous fame
Two years ago, during the 'Life Remembrance Activity', a young female nursing student's speech made many teachers, students, and families present shed tears.
Two years later, she fulfilled her wish, becoming one of the 1,088 body donors. Her name was Shi Min Bi.
In 2008, Shi Min Bi graduated from Beijing Nursing School.
Big eyes, neat teeth, loving to smile, lively... This was the memory Shi Min Bi left on Tang Junmin, the chairman of the Beijing Anatomical Society.
In mid-February 2008, Shi Min Bi was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma during a physical examination, with multiple metastatic lesions in both lungs, brain metastasis, and right kidney metastasis. She had just stepped out of school when she became a late-stage cancer patient.
With the help of all sectors of society, her condition was once under control. For the support and assistance from the school and all sectors of society, Shi Min Bi was deeply grateful and wanted to do something within her ability to return gratitude to her teachers, classmates, and society.
She decided: after leaving this world, to donate her body and corneas, contributing to China's medical education and patients.
On the evening of September 20, 2010, Shi Min Bi's condition worsened, and she passed away at home at the young age of 24.
After Shi Min Bi's death, her sister donated her body, fulfilling her final wish.
■ Related News
More than 700,000 citizens swept tombs over the weekend
Report by reporter Ru Wen: As of 16:00 yesterday, a total of 414,000 citizens paid respects at 117 tomb-sweeping sites in Beijing, an increase of more than 130,000 people compared to the previous day. Due to the pleasant weather over the weekend, the number of tomb-sweeping citizens exceeded 700,000 over two days.
The weekend before Qingming approached, becoming the first peak period for tomb-sweeping in the city this year. Yesterday afternoon, according to the Qingming Command Center, as of 16:00, a total of 414,000 tomb-sweeping citizens and 69,000 vehicles arrived at the 117 tomb-sweeping sites across the city.
Over the two days of the weekend, more than 700,000 citizens went to various cemeteries to sweep tombs, a decrease of more than 60,000 people compared to last year. It is reported that the peak number of tomb-sweeping citizens is expected to occur during the Qingming holiday. Citizens can arrange their time to avoid peak hours for tomb-sweeping.
The Beijing Funeral Management Office reminds citizens that to prevent food from molding and affecting the cemetery environment, offerings will be cleared within a few days. "During tomb-sweeping, try not to bring paper money, incense, etc., and try not to place food in front of the tombstones." (Editor: SN021)