For those who suffered mostly misery in this life, who died as infants or young children, who never really had an opportunity to know true joy or love, the afterlife offered a second chance and a way to address the unfairness of this life.

BBC: A Point of View: Would you want to live forever?

"Or, " she speculates, "maybe they don't really believe there is an afterlife, " in which case they include actors as a nod to their love of theater, not because they believe they will need entertaining.

WSJ: Theater, Life, and the Afterlife | China Institute | A Dynasty Without the Hereafter? | By Lee Lawrence