"Students with other majors wouldn't sit with us," she recalls.

"We were secluded. But all of my old friends, including my boyfriend, stood by me through the years. Your job doesn't change who you are. If it does, it's in a positive way."

Chen says she has never regretted her decision.

She landed a job at the funeral home upon graduation and took another two years of on-the-job training and overcoming fierce competition to become an embalmer.

The greatest gift her trade has given her is a better understanding of life, she says.

"You experience more life-and-death stories and witness more sadness," she says.

"It makes you cherish your life more. Death treats everyone equally, rich or poor. Even billionaires can't buy off death when it calls."

Consequently, Chen says she has lost respect for those who commit suicide.

"One mother killed herself after giving birth," she recalls.

"She couldn't stand that people ignored her and gave all their attention to the baby. She had her reasons. But it was selfish. You should have seen the extreme grief of her family and friends."

Chen plans to make embalming her lifelong career. "I might postpone having a child so I don't disrupt my career," she says.

"After I have a baby, I'll let him or her know I work in a profession that's decent and worthwhile."

Contact the writer at xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn.

Chen practices applying makeup on a colleague.

Chen Jiao prepares for an embalming session at the Jiangnan Funeral Home in Chongqing municipality.