China today pledged a crackdown on obscene performances by strippers at funerals, saying such practices to attract crowds were "uncivilised".
China's Ministry of Culture, in a statement posted on its website, pledged a "crackdown" on the practice, which it said has become increasingly common in rural areas.
A little known fact about funerals in rural areas where strippers are invited to attract more attendees.
The statement, which detailed two cases, said such practice distorted the cultural value of the entertainment business and such acts were uncivilised.
In both cases, in north China's Hebei Province and east China's Jiangsu, strippers were invited to stage obscene performances, it said.
The organisers and performers have been punished.
The ministry will continue to work with the police to stamp out the practice, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Stripping is illegal in China.
Ladies are apparently deployed during such occasions to boost mourner numbers, since large crowds are seen as a mark of honour.
Having exotic performances of this nature at funerals highlights the trappings of modern life in China, whereby vanity and snobbery prevail over tradition.
