Original Source
China to Ban 'Bone Ash Apartments' Amid Cemetery Shortage
Ban on Storing Ashes in Apartments Introduced
China is implementing new funeral management legislation to prohibit the practice of storing the ashes of deceased relatives in empty high-rise flats. This measure comes as rapid urbanization and an aging population have intensified competition for cemetery plots and driven up burial costs, leading to an increase in people using apartments for storing cremated remains.
Key Provisions of New Funeral Management Legislation
The new Chinese funeral management legislation will explicitly prohibit the use of "residential housing specifically for the purpose of storing cremated remains" and the burial of corpses or construction of tombs in "areas other than public cemeteries." This legislation reflects the government's efforts to address the scarcity of burial spaces and regulate funeral practices.
*Source: The Guardian World (2026-03-31)*
