China to crack down on strippers who perform at village funerals

Beijing: China will crack down on strippers who perform at rural funerals, the Ministry of Culture said on Thursday, taking aim at performances it described as illegal and which corrupt “social morals”.

State media have said burlesque shows at some funerals aim to draw more mourners and show off the family’s wealth, in a practice that is infrequent, although gaining in popularity.

In a notice on its website, the ministry called for a “black list” of people and workplaces that engage in such shows.

It singled out a group of burlesque dancers, the Red Rose Song and Dance Troupe, who did a strip-tease after the small-town funeral of an elderly person in the northern province of Hebei in February.

The group took off their clothes after performing a traditional song-and-dance routine, the ministry said.

One leader of Red Rose, surnamed Li, was punished with 15 days in detention and a fine of 70,000 yuan ($11,300) after law enforcement officials intervened.

Reuters