BEIJING: As Chinese cemeteries become increasingly expensive many people are buying flats to store the ashes of their loved ones, triggering a discussion which has divided public opinion.
Chinese families have long placed great importance on burial practices, with securing a respectable grave regarded as an essential act of filial piety.
However, as rapid urban development limits available land and an ageing population drives up demand, burial space has become increasingly scarce, giving rise to exorbitantly priced graves.
For instance, as of July 2025, Shanghai had just over 54 commercial cemeteries, many of which are already close to being sold out.
In March 2023, Shanghai Songhe Cemetery went viral online after their price was revealed to have reached around 760,000 yuan (US$110,000) per square metre.
At the time, the average housing price in Shanghai was about 55,000 yuan per square metre, according to several online property platforms.
As traditional cemetery plots become increasingly unaffordable, people have begun seeking alternatives, with some choosing to buy residential flats to store ashes as a more practical option.
This approach not only addresses the issue of placement but also offers financial advantages, as property can retain its value and provide a longer period of use for storing ashes.
For instance, in Beijing, a mid-range cemetery plot typically comes with only 20 years of usage rights.
However, with a similar budget, families could instead buy a small flat in a second or third-tier city.
Such properties offer 70-year ownership rights, allow for flexible decoration, and enable families to pay their respects at any time, offering a more personal form of remembrance.
Also, in cases of financial difficulty, the property can also be sold or rented out like a standard asset, allowing families to recover part of the cost.
However, the practice has sparked controversy, with concerns that it may disturb neighbours and cause psychological discomfort. It could also potentially affect property values.
In Tianjin, northern China, a public columbarium in Zhongtang Town, once built 16 buildings that were sold or rented as “family ancestral halls” and used specifically for storing ashes, accommodating tens of thousands of urns.
This severely disrupted the surrounding residential environment and was regarded as a violation by local civil affairs authorities, who subsequently ordered rectification.
Similar cases have also been reported in other parts of China.
During festivals such as Ching Ming, incense burning and ritual activities have disturbed nearby residents.
On March 30, the revised Regulation on the Administration of Funeral and Interment officially came into effect, explicitly prohibiting the use of residential properties for storing human ashes.
The move has sparked a lively discussion on mainland social media, dividing public opinion.
One person said: “If I keep ashes inside my home, how would you even know? The real issue is that cemetery plots are too expensive and this only treats the symptoms, not the cause.”
Another wrote: “What irony. Living people cannot afford housing and the dead cannot afford burial plots.”
A third added: “The idea is to be laid to rest in the ground. If remains are suspended in mid-air, how can the soul find peace? If a land burial is not possible, the sea is also an option.” - South China Morning Post
