Too Expensive To Die? China's Burial Crisis Forces Families Into Flats

Authorities in China have moved to ban the storage of cremated ashes in residential flats, after rising burial costs pushed some families to seek unconventional alternatives, according to South China Morning Post.

Burial traditions remain deeply rooted in Chinese culture, where providing a proper resting place is seen as an important duty. However, rapid urban growth and an ageing population have made cemetery land scarce and expensive.

In Shanghai, there were just over 54 commercial cemeteries as of mid 2025, many nearly sold out. Prices have surged sharply. A plot at Shanghai Songhe Cemetery was reported in 2023 to cost about 760,000 yuan per square metre, far higher than the city's average housing price of around 55,000 yuan.

According to SCMP, faced with these costs, some families began buying small flats to store urns. In cities such as Beijing, cemetery plots often come with only 20 years of usage rights. By comparison, residential property can offer up to 70 years, along with flexibility and potential resale value.

The trend has raised concerns among residents and officials. In Tianjin, a columbarium project in Zhongtang Town converted multiple buildings into spaces for storing ashes, housing tens of thousands of urns. Authorities later ruled this violated regulations and ordered corrections.

Complaints have also emerged about disturbances during festivals such as Qingming Festival, when rituals and incense burning affected nearby residents.

On 30 March, revised funeral regulations came into force, clearly banning the use of residential properties for storing human ashes. The decision has sparked debate online, with some arguing that high cemetery costs are the real issue, while others support stricter rules to protect living spaces.