Abstract:

In China, the commercial act of the Pre-Plan Funeral Arrangement (PPFA) is a new genre of death discourse that has been promoted in the past five years. This research examines the heteroglossia and positioning of six senior PPFA contract signers in Beijing. A group interview was conducted to identify purchasing decisions, and the data were analyzed based on positioning theory and appraisal theory. Multiple voices were found concerning issues such as the (non-) verbalization of death, the (non-) necessity of pre-planning, interdependence versus independence, and longevity versus life quality. Through the heteroglossic interactions, the signers constructed a major position of autonomous and dignified funeral planners, yet simultaneously implied the feeling of being helplessly constrained. Based on this, a PART model of dialogical positioning is proposed. The idea and form of funeral pre-planning advocates individual rights, and challenges the transmission of family and cultural heritages in China.

Keywords: pre-plan funeral arrangement; death discourse; heteroglossia; positioning; appraisal theory; funeral

摘要：

“生前契约”是关于殡仪服务的商业契约,可供当事人通过购买殡仪服务提前计划身后事,在我国属于死亡话语新语类。本研究考察作为话语实践的“生前契约”消费,揭示签约者访谈中的多声互动和身份定位。我们在北京某养老院访谈了已签约的6位老人,了解其签约考量和过程。语料分析借鉴叙事定位理论和评价理论的介入系统。结果发现,在是否谈论死亡和提前计划丧事、亲情联结与个人独立、生命长度与质量、形式繁简等主题上,有多种声音的张力;在多声互动中,签约者建构了“我的丧事我做主”的独立规划者身份定位,但也有面对现实的无奈。研究尝试概括了身份定位的“PART”模式。生前规划身后事的观念及其商业契约形式在尊重个人权利的同时,也对亲情传递、文化传承提出了新的挑战。

关键词: 生前契约, 死亡话语, 多声, 身份定位, 评价理论, 殡仪