In the countryside, if someone dies in the family, he must immediately invite "Sect Master Zong". After the "Zong Master" arrives, he will dress the dead, that is, wear funeral clothes.
Someone may ask, "Zong Master" isn't afraid of dressing dead people?
Here I want to say that "Zong Master" is not afraid of dressing dead people. When I was conducting research in the countryside, I visited some "Zongshu people."
Once, when I was conducting research in a mountain village, I visited a "Zongshu people". This "Zong Master" is already 65 years old and looks tough behind him. I asked him, are he afraid of dressing dead people all year round? He said that he has been a "Zong Master" since he was 20 years old and was a little scared when he put on clothes for dead people for the first time. However, over time, I won’t be afraid. People die like a lamp extinguishing, what's scary? Besides, there are no ghosts in this world.
Next, he told me the details of dressing dead people. He said that after a person dies, he should immediately put clothes on the dead, because at this time, the dead's body is not stiff yet. If the dead man's body becomes stiff, it will be a bit difficult to wear clothes.
Another time, while I was doing research in a village next to Yangtze River , I visited a middle-aged "Super Zongren". He told me that he had been a "Zongshu" for more than 20 years. When his father was alive, he was the "Zong Master". After his father died, he took over as the "Zong Master."
When I asked him, are you afraid of wearing clothes for dead people all year round? He said, what's scary? The dead will not move. Besides, there are no ghosts in the world.
To summarize, based on my visit, the conclusion is that those in rural areas who wear clothes for the dead for many years will not be afraid.