FINDING DIGNITY AND PEACE AT THE END OF LIFE

As nation's population ages, cultural taboo of hospice care slowly lifted

On May 15, 2024, a family gathered at the palliative care ward of Gulou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing to take a cherished family photo. The moment was for 87-year-old Yang Nushi, who had suffered a stroke four years ago and had been admitted to the ward just days earlier.

The hospital staff, upon learning of Yang's lifelong love for Peking Opera, decorated her room with photos from her younger days, including images of her performing in elaborate costumes. They added a touch of spring, with blooming pink peach blossoms and lush greenery.

Yang's husband, Li Xiansheng, held a bouquet of pink flowers as he gazed tenderly into her eyes. The couple, both originally from Suzhou in Jiangsu province, shared a love spanning more than six decades. The two married in 1962.