Public is loath to adopt new death rites
By Steffie Lu |
April 6, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IT hasn't been easy to change people's traditional concepts on interment.
Yet cemeteries in Shanghai, running out of space for tombs, are trying to do just that.
The Xiyuan Cemetery in Qingpu District started promoting no-gravestone tombs last year. People's ashes are buried under a tree, and the ashes' urns, made from environmentally friendly material, degrades in a month, allowing the land to be reused.
The new tombs, however, failed to win a market. Only around 140 families accepted it.
"It's ridiculous that so many people's ashes are buried under one tree," said Ruan Xiaocong, a woman who was choosing tombs for her father yesterday. "And how can people rest in peace with their ash urns degraded underground?"
Other cemeteries have suggested placing the ash urns in a tower. Or under a flower bed.
The public shrugged.
Wang Hongjie, director of the Shanghai Funeral and Interment Trade Association, said cemeteries are designing and promoting these ideas individually, whereas a united industry effort might make more impact on the public.
Yet cemeteries in Shanghai, running out of space for tombs, are trying to do just that.
The Xiyuan Cemetery in Qingpu District started promoting no-gravestone tombs last year. People's ashes are buried under a tree, and the ashes' urns, made from environmentally friendly material, degrades in a month, allowing the land to be reused.
The new tombs, however, failed to win a market. Only around 140 families accepted it.
"It's ridiculous that so many people's ashes are buried under one tree," said Ruan Xiaocong, a woman who was choosing tombs for her father yesterday. "And how can people rest in peace with their ash urns degraded underground?"
Other cemeteries have suggested placing the ash urns in a tower. Or under a flower bed.
The public shrugged.
Wang Hongjie, director of the Shanghai Funeral and Interment Trade Association, said cemeteries are designing and promoting these ideas individually, whereas a united industry effort might make more impact on the public.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
