In a bizarre display of self-determination, a group of female Chinese divorcees chose to lie down in shallow graves so they can start a “new life.”
The “graveyard meditation,” organized by 30-year-old Liu Taijie, took place on the outskirts of Chongqing City, southwestern China, earlier this week.
A divorcee herself, Liu launched her “cemetery class” to help other women cope with their romantic breakups, “I know how a woman felt when she was feeling abandoned. I had the thought of committing suicide when I got divorced.”
Liu got married at 19 and had her first baby at 21. All was well until 2015, when she went through a heartbreaking divorce and failed a business she started the previous year.
Liu also worked hard to improve her body — she dropped from 158 lb to 99 lb, Zaker noted.
As seen in the photos, participants lay down on plastic sheets that lined shallow holes dug in the ground. They closed their eyes and held their hands in a praying position.
Apparently, the idea is to simulate death so they can start over as a clean slate. Liu told Daily Mail:
“When a person is desperate, he or she could almost feel they’re near death. By lying in the grave, my students could try to experience death. This will remind them that they have not done many things in their life and that they need to forget about the past and start a new life.”
Liu said her graveyard meditation classes are held every two to three months. She does not charge fees participants. Interested individuals may reach her through her number.
