Professional mourning

Professional mourning or paid mourning is an occupation that originates from Egyptian, Chinese, Mediterranean and Near Eastern cultures. Professional mourners, also called moirologists and mutes, are compensated to lament or deliver a eulogy and help comfort and entertain the grieving family. Mentioned in the Bible and other religious texts, the occupation is widely invoked and explored in literature, from the Ugaritic epics of early centuries BC to modern poetry. Female professional mourners, called Rudaali, were common in many parts of India, especially in the Western Indian state of Rajasthan.

Professional mourning is still practiced in China and other Asian countries. Chinese professional mourners in particular have survived dramatic cultural shifts such as the Cultural Revolution, though not without having to adjust to the times. For example, in an interview published in 2009, one professional mourner, who wailed and played the suona, recounted how, after the Proclamation of the People's Republic of China, he and his troupe began playing revolutionary songs like "The Sky in the Communist Regions Is Brighter" during funerals. In fact, some cultures even think that the use of professional mourners brings a certain religious and historical application to funeral processions.