Nine Serpents Bearing a Coffin: Secret Tales of Corpse Carriers in Republican-Era China

Born with a flaw, mended with human skin; Carrying corpses home, back to familiar ground; Burning incense in worship, making books from paper offerings; Guarding the manor, no living soul may stay; A union of yin and yang, a red wedding dress and candles; Examining corpses to uncover the truth, cutting them open… My name is Fu Sheng. I’m a corpse bearer, and I want to tell you my story. I’ll tell you what I went through in an age of warlords, when human life was worth less than a dog’s. I’ll tell you about that turbulent, mysterious world… This is a corpse bearer’s story, but it’s about more than just a corpse bearer. Are you ready? Fallen leaves return to their roots, and the dead return home. Let’s see our guests off…