China Enacts Ban on Storing Ashes in Apartments as Funeral Costs Soar
China is implementing a new law to prohibit the use of residential apartments for storing the ashes of deceased relatives, a practice known as "guhui fang" or "bone ash apartments." This move comes as the country grapples with a surge in deaths, reaching 11.3 million in 2025, up from 9.8 million in 2015, and faces intense competition for limited cemetery plots due to rapid urbanisation and an ageing population.
Rising Funeral Expenses and Urban Challenges
The practice of using apartments as makeshift memorial halls has grown significantly, with people transforming empty flats into ancestral shrines adorned with candles, red lights, and urns arranged by generation. This trend is largely driven by exorbitant funeral costs; after Japan, China has the second-highest funeral expenses globally, according to a 2020 survey by insurer SunLife. In contrast, property prices have plummeted by 40% between 2021 and 2025, partly due to President Xi Jinping's campaign to curb real estate speculation, making apartments a more affordable option for many.
Additionally, cemetery plots in China typically come with only a 20-year lease, whereas residential properties offer government-backed 70-year usage rights. This disparity has led many citizens to view apartments as a better long-term value for storing loved ones' remains, despite the new ban aiming to halt this practice.
Public Reaction and Alternative Burial Methods
The new funeral management legislation, set to take effect ahead of the Qingming grave-sweeping festival, prohibits using residential housing specifically for storing cremated remains and bans burials outside public cemeteries. On Weibo, China's equivalent of X, a hashtag related to the ban has garnered over 7 million views, with users expressing scepticism. One commenter questioned enforcement, asking, "Who's going to go in and check? Or are they planning to put a GPS tracker on every single urn?" Another highlighted affordability concerns, stating, "Even at 90% off, cemetery plots are still too expensive."
To address the burial crisis, authorities in major cities like Shanghai are promoting subsidised "ecological burial methods," such as deep-ground or sea burials. In 2025, Shanghai's sea burials reached a record high, exceeding 10,000 cases for the first time, reflecting a shift towards more sustainable options amid land scarcity.
Demographic Shifts and Future Implications
China's ageing population is one of the fastest-growing in the world, with deaths far outpacing births; in 2025, there were 11.3 million deaths compared to 7.9 million births. This demographic shift exacerbates the demand for funeral services and burial spaces, prompting the government to take regulatory action. The ban on bone ash apartments is part of broader efforts to manage funeral practices in urban areas, where space is increasingly limited and costs are rising.
As China continues to navigate these challenges, the new law highlights the complex interplay between cultural traditions, economic pressures, and urban planning in a rapidly changing society.
