China Limits Ash Burial to Designated Cemeteries Only

The State Council of China has announced a regulation that explicitly bans the burial of human ashes outside designated areas in public cemeteries, effective Monday. This decision comes in response to the rising demand for cemetery plots, which has outpaced the country's birth rate since 2020.

Funeral costs have surged, nearly reaching half of the average annual salary in China, according to a survey by British insurance firm SunLife. The new rule aims to tackle issues of fraud and lack of transparency in funeral pricing, which have become significant concerns.

The regulation is expected to reduce the financial burden on families during a time of grief, as many have resorted to dodging rising funeral costs by burying ashes in residential complexes. The Chinese market watchdog's announcement reflects ongoing challenges in the property sector, where a crisis has led to stalled construction and limited access to credit since 2020.