China Cracks Down on 'Bone Ash Apartments' for Cremated Remains

China has taken a strong stance against the growing phenomenon of storing cremated remains in empty apartments, a practice known as 'bone ash apartments.' The government has now banned this unconventional method of handling the deceased, citing the need to promote traditional burial customs and address the ongoing issue of limited cemetery space.

The directive, issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, emphasizes the importance of respecting the deceased and maintaining the dignity of funeral rites. According to the new regulations, the storage of cremated remains in residential properties is strictly prohibited, and families are required to inter the ashes in designated cemeteries or columbaria (facilities for storing cremated remains).

This crackdown on 'bone ash apartments' comes as China grapples with a shortage of burial plots, a problem exacerbated by the country's rapidly aging population and the increasing preference for cremation over traditional burials. Cremation rates in China have risen sharply in recent decades, reaching around 50% nationwide, and in some urban areas, the rate exceeds 90%.

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