Six elderly people in China kill themselves 'before burial ban'

[Spring Onion]

so china not wasting 6feet of land for its people

yeh it will waste fuel and further pollute the air

 

[zip]

I dont see any problem in burying but constructing tomb should be avoided

 

[Hack-Hook]

I believe if they really need such measure so badly , they could be more subtle .
they could gave subsidiary for burning the bodies and then increase the price of burying the bodies , in long term that would have done miracle.
they could had programs to encourage cremation over burial. but sadly as always like every where else local officials tends to look more short term than long term .

 

[Spring Onion]

I believe if they really need such measure so badly , they could be more subtle .
they could gave subsidiary for burning the bodies and then increase the price of burying the bodies , in long term that would have done miracle.
they could had programs to encourage cremation over burial. but sadly as always like every where else local officials tends to look more short term than long term .

how about population control instead of polluting the air

 

[qwerrty]

just don't float in river. do whatever..

 

[The SiLent crY]

Its not just a part of culture but a part of religion . They can use multi floor graves instead .

 

[Genesis]

I don't know anyone who wasn't cremated, I read a similar story that happened some 20 years ago in China. I'm pretty sure it was banned then, and today it's just still banned.

Weird. Maybe some places are not the same? I didn't even know coffin burial was even an option.

 

[SwAggeR]

Good move by China.

yeh it will waste fuel and further pollute the air

Fuel utilized in cremation is 10 times more cheaper than cost of 6*3 land area(villages)and 50-100 times in tier 2 towns in India . Modern Electric incinerators are very environment friendly.

 

[halupridol]

China is practical,,,,,the living has more use of land.

 

[Aepsilons]

Whatever your religion is, any burial grounds taking a lot of land would be removed.

China need those land and will not tolerate dead people to take over her precious land for nothing.

Let's see. Sooner or later, their families will find out that they died for nothing. No more burial ground for anyone will be allowed.

Cremation will be the only choice.

What ever happened to the Confucian concept of filial piety? In Japanese is known as Oyakoko or 親孝行

Reverence for one's ancestors is important and their memory should be remembered.

I am saddened to read that the Chinese leadership has passed such law.

 

[ephone]

Only if you consider cremation as not filial piety.

Cremation is also done widely in the west. So all of those who have their family members cremated are not filial piety???

I do not think burying the whole body six feet under is the only way to show filial piety.

You do not need a tomb stone to remind yourself to remember the one you should remember.

In addition, as for Confucius, he is only one branch of the many philosophers China has in the past, though glorified by past emperors for their own use.

China need have her 百家争鸣 (hundreds of schools of thoughts in contention) time back.
百家争鸣_互动百科

What ever happened to the Confucian concept of filial piety? In Japanese is known as Oyakoko or 親孝行

Reverence for one's ancestors is important and their memory should be remembered.

I am saddened to read that the Chinese leadership has passed such law.

 

[Aepsilons]

Only if you consider cremation as not filial piety.

Cremation is also done widely in the west. So all of those who have their family members cremated are not filial piety???

I do not think burying the whole body six feet under is the only way to show filial piety.

You do not need a tomb stone to remind yourself to remember the one you should remember.

For me, and for many Japanese, family tombs are part of filial piety.

Personally, i even visit the tomb of my ancestors-- specially when i am back home. My family tomb has the remains from my great great great great grandfather to grandfather. A family tomb is important; one can observe obeisance when you visit them and honor their spirit , and memory.

In addition, as for Confucius, he is only one branch of the many philosophers China has in the past, though glorified by past emperors for their own use.

Sure. I can understand that. However, i think the Confucian culture has eroded in China. What do you think?

 

[ephone]

Well, if China has 100m in population, I do not see it will be a problem so far.

However, when you have 1.4b in population, dramatic decrease in arable land, particularly farming land, you have to make choices.

I do not think those ancestors would like you to stick to ground burial, then keep their descendants from having any land for farming, for food.

If they run out of descendants, who will remember them???

As for Confucius, it was widely used by those emperors. However, Chinese people are smart, creative and will always challenging the past and present.

Just like what Chen Sheng (Chen Sheng - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has said:
王侯將相，寧有種乎
Are they born to be nobel and privileged? or Do those gentry certainly have blue blood?

So Confucius is just one school of thought and it should remain that way. It has its merits but also has its garbages.

For me, and for many Japanese, family tombs are part of filial piety.

Personally, i even visit the tomb of my ancestors-- specially when i am back home. My family tomb has the remains from my great great great great grandfather to grandfather. A family tomb is important; one can observe obeisance when you visit them and honor their spirit , and memory.



Sure. I can understand that. However, i think the Confucian culture has eroded in China. What do you think?

 

[sms]

WHOA!!! now in China they will dictate how their dead will get treated too!
Six elderly people in China are said to have killed themselves to ensure they died before new regulations banning coffin burials come into force, a newspaper has reported.
China has a tradition dating back thousands of years of ancestor worship, which usually requires families to bury their relatives and construct a tomb.
But in recent years local governments across the country have demolished tombs as part of a national campaign encouraging cremation, in an attempt to save on limited land resources.

Cremation is being encouraged in most non-Muslim nations. I don't see this as a bad move at all on China's part

Good. Cremation is a natural and a more land friendly practise than burying. More countries are doing it these days.

Ideologically there is no place for any religion in a communist country. Traditions does not holds any value but the very thing which is very best for country and it's people.

Practical POV - despite a communist country China is not a real communist nation at it's core. People have different opinions and second thoughts. Lots of people are inclined (relatively in larger numbers compared to old generations) towards religious activities.

Remember ..despite phenomenal progress & development in past few decades China is still an Asian country at it's core and is not ready for such dictation. Any sudden move will create a ripple (may not be big at this moment) and will be harming themselves and result will be evident in long run.

On a second thought China declared an official holiday for "tomb Sweeping festival" so that people can pay homage to their ancestors. It does not make any sense that federal Govt. observe holiday for cleaning of Tombs/ graves and do not allow burial?
It might be typical case of one of Chinese city official started feeling above CPC. In that case he/ she will be shown his/ her right place soon .

@Chinese-Dragon what is your take on it?

indians are not getting audience ....

That's your problem that you look every thing from glasses of religion only!!
Ostrich syndrome at it's best!!

 

[Aepsilons]

Well, if China has 100m in population, I do not see it will be a problem so far.

However, when you have 1.4b in population, dramatic decrease in arable land, particularly farming land, you have to make choices.

I do not think those ancestors would like you to stick to ground burial, then keep their descendants from having any land for farming, for food.

If they run out of descendants, who will remember them???

As for Confucius, it was widely used by those emperors. However, Chinese people are smart, creative and will always challenging the past and present.

Just like what Chen Sheng (Chen Sheng - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has said:
王侯將相，寧有種乎
Are they born to be nobel and privileged? or Do those gentry certainly have blue blood?

So Confucius is just one school of thought and it should remain that way. It has its merits but also has its garbages.

Thank you @ephone for your response. Yes you bring a good point about the issue of overpopulation and arable land. For me, its just that the issue of family tomb is important. In Japan, when the body is cremated, the ashes are added into the family tomb. The act of putting the ashes of your loved one into the family tomb is called Noukotsu, its a Buddhist burial ceremony. All my ancestors are in one tomb, and when I pass away, i hope my children will also put me in my family tomb as well.

Here is a video of a Noukotsu ceremony:

Noukotsu: Japanese Buddhist Burial Ceremony for my Grandma (Part 4) - YouTube