The young Chinese beautician to the deceased

Dong Zhe, a 25-year-old beautician for the deceased at the Babaoshan Funeral Home in the Chinese capital of Beijing, describes her work as "allowing people to bid farewell to the world in a decent way."

Apart from her daily routine of cleaning the bodies and putting on their makeup, Dong now utilizes cutting-edge technologies including 3D printing to help restore the appearance of her special customers.

After a careful check of their appearance, Dong performs her final solemn salute to those resting in peace and calls their family in to start the funeral ceremony.

"The most difficult task for us is to communicate with the family members the deceased left behind, as they are still overwhelmed by great grief, crying nonstop," said Dong, adding that she and her colleagues aim to present the departed in their finest state and to comfort the bereaved.

Dong had made up her mind to take up the unusual career ever since she was applying for college. "Everyone was against me when I applied to major in modern funeral technology and management. But I was determined."

After years of studying the professional skills of funeral services and relevant technologies, she chose to work as a body beautician, using technology to help her customers look their best before their physical body finally departs this earthly plane.

She feels her work is worthwhile whenever the bereaved show their gratitude for her efforts. "After about four years of work, I started to recognize the noble essence of my undertaking: treating life with dignity."

Dong's parents also changed their attitude toward her choice of work and began to feel proud of her.

In the run-up to Tomb-sweeping Day, also known as the Qingming Festival in the Chinese lunar calendar, on April 5, Dong and her colleagues are busier than ever. "During the busiest times of the year, I complete the makeup of more than 10 people in a day," she said.

The young woman has gotten used to life and death and seen through the impermanence of the world, much faster than her peers. "I now take life more seriously than ever before. Our lifetime is limited and thus we should cherish our life and people around us and go through each stage of our life with optimism."

Dong earnestly practices what she preaches. As the youngest in Babaoshan's beautician team, she always tells jokes and cheers her colleagues up in order to dispel any negative feelings accumulated at work.

"Though facing lifeless, icy bodies every day, I can feel the warmth hidden in my job," said Dong.