韓國自殺傾向新療法 躺入木棺思考人生

A new treatment for suicidal patients in South Korea involves locking them up in wooden coffins2. The fake "death experience" apparently3 helps students appreciate life better after confronting a simulated version of their last moments.

韓國出現自殺傾向患者新療法，躺入木棺思考人生。在直麵模擬的“臨終時刻”後，假死經曆有助於人們更加珍惜生命。

The rate of suicide in Korea is on the rise, with about 40 people killing4 themselves every day. Experts believe that the nation's super-competitive atmosphere is responsible for so many cases of depression and suicide. And according to theSeoul Hyowon Healing Center, the solution to this crisis lies in their 'death experience' therapy.

Participants at the centre come from all walks of life, including teenagers who struggle with pressure at school, older parents experiencing isolation5, and the elderly who are afraid of becoming a financial burden on their families. They all don white robes and get into coffins arranged in rows. Beside each coffin1 is a small desk with pens and paper. Students sit inside the coffins and listen to a short talk by Jeong Yong-mun, a former funeral worker who is now the head of the healing centre. He explains to them that they should accept their problems as a part of life and try to find joy in the most difficult situations.

The students then lie down in the coffin and close their eyes to have a 'funeral portrait' taken. Afterwards, they write down their will or compose a farewell letter to their loved ones, and read their last words aloud to the group. When the 'hour of death' approaches, they are told that it is now time to 'go to the other side'. Candles are lit and the 'Korean Angel of Death' enters the room. The students lie down in their coffins once more, and the angel closes the lid on each one of them.

They are left alone in the dark for about 10 minutes, during which time they are faced with the idea of 'nothingness' in the after-life. They are encouraged to use this time to contemplate6 on life from an outsider's perspective. When they finally emerge from their coffins, they claim to feel 'refreshed' and 'liberated7'. Jeong Yong-mun enters the room once more to tell them: "You have seen what death feels like, you are alive, and you must fight!"

1 coffin

n.棺材，靈柩

參考例句：

When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.蓋棺論定。

The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到墳墓裏去了。

2 coffins

n.棺材( coffin的名詞複數 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物

參考例句：

The shop was close and hot, and the atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. 店堂裏相當悶熱，空氣仿佛被棺木的味兒汙染了。 來自辭典例句

Donate some coffins to the temple, equal to the number of deaths. 到寺廟裏，捐贈棺材盒給這些死者吧。 來自電影對白

3 apparently

adv.顯然地；表麵上，似乎

參考例句：

An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山窮水盡，豁然開朗。

He was apparently much surprised at the news.他對那個消息顯然感到十分驚異。

4 killing

n.巨額利潤；突然賺大錢，發大財

參考例句：

Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投資者準備清倉以便大賺一筆。

Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上個周我兄弟在華爾街賺了一大筆。

5 isolation

n.隔離，孤立，分解，分離

參考例句：

The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.這位富翁過著與世隔絕的生活。

He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休後，生活比較孤寂。

6 contemplate

vt.盤算，計議；周密考慮；注視，凝視

參考例句：

The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.戰爭的可能性太可怕了，真不堪細想。

The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.後果不堪設想。

7 liberated

a.無拘束的，放縱的

參考例句：

The city was liberated by the advancing army. 軍隊向前挺進，解放了那座城市。

The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 熱量引起化學反應，釋放出氧氣。