Minghun
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The Unquiet Dead: Why Imperial China Married Ghosts to Save the Living

Ghost marriage (minghun) is a Chinese funerary ritual with origins in the Han Dynasty, rooted in yin-yang philosophy and ancestral cults. It was performed to placate lonely spirits, ensure familial harmony, and integrate unmarried daughters—particularly women—into a patrilineal lineage. While often stigmatized, it served as bereavement therapy and a mechanism to uphold social norms regarding…