After the death of a Taiwanese politician, his son had a hilarious dream. The result? A funeral procession so unique that it’s been reported around the world. Here’s a story that may convince you to include funeral instructions in your estate plan.
When Chiayi County Council Speaker Tung Hsiang passed away, his son was tasked with planning the funeral. For inspiration, he relied on a dream he’d had that his father wanted the funeral to be hilarious. If that’s what Tung Hsiang was going for, his son certainly delivered. The procession included 50 multi-colored Jeeps, each with a scantily clad woman pole dancing on top.
Apparently, having pole dancers at your funeral is not completely uncommon in Taiwan and rural China, though the kaleidoscope of Jeeps with poles and dancers atop them was certainly a new twist. (By the way, Taiwan does ban outright nudity at funerals.)
CNN reported on this unusual funeral in "50 pole dancers escort Taiwan politician's funeral procession."
The practice of having pole dancers at funerals in Taiwan apparently began in the 1980s and is part of a larger worldwide trend of families wanting unique and often lavish funerals to remember their loved ones. While the United States has not yet had pole dancers on Jeeps as part of funeral processions (so far as we know, anyway!), many families have opted for unique and memorable funerals.
If pole dancers and colorful Jeeps are not something you would appreciate at your own funeral, now might be a good time to make your wishes known in your estate plan. This can help to avoid the risk that a family member will have a dream about something you might not approve.
Reference: CNN (January 6, 2017) "50 pole dancers escort Taiwan politician's funeral procession
