Taipei opens public competition to rename funeral parlor

台北市殯儀館更名公開競賽

Second Funeral Parlor to get a refreshed name after renovations


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei’s mortuary service is holding a public competition to replace the rather utilitarian name currently used for the city’s Second Funeral Parlor.

The mortuary service said on Monday (Nov. 13) that once renovations on the facility are complete, a new name will be chosen for the funeral parlor. An NT$5,500 (US$170) prize will be offered to the winning entry, with runner-up prizes also included.

The service said the competition was being held to increase public interest in the facility. The competition allows individuals to enter as many times as they like.

The mortuary service was seemingly not worried by the possibility of some morbid equivalent of "Boaty McBoat Face" becoming popular (which is admittedly hard to replicate with a funeral parlor) though some have made attempts at humor. The “Taipei Hotel” was suggested by one entrant because the word for funeral home (殯館) and hotel (賓館) are homonyms, only with different tones.

The entry was an interpretation of the “essence of a funeral home,” the entrant wrote. “The funeral parlor serves as temporary accommodation between the human and underworlds, and should make spirits of the deceased feel at home,” they said.



Other options included “Taipei Departure Hall (TPE人生出境航廈)” (as in the kind found at an airport) and “The Hall of Rebirth.” Those wanting to submit their own entries can do so by commenting under the announcement of the competition on the mortuary service’s Facebook page.

Entries have to be made in traditional Chinese characters with an accompanying explanation of their meanings. Committee members will assess the entries on relevance to the funeral service, how easy they are to remember, and their meaning, the mortuary service said.

Entries close on Friday, Nov. 24.