Beyond Neglect: The Gap and Innovative Approaches in Life Education in China from the Perspective of Death Meaning Reconstruction

This study examines the gap in death meaning education within life education research in China, inspired by the proposition “Death is not the end; oblivion is” from the animated film Coco. A systematic review of existing literature shows that while current research has made progress in constructing life value systems, curriculum frameworks, and home-school-community collaboration, there remains a pervasive systemic avoidance of death, meaning education. Three key gaps are identified: (1) the disconnection between theory and educational practice, (2) insufficient cultural contextualization, and (3) limitations in the application of educational technology.