It has been revealed that local government officials in China forced cremation on elderly individuals who are still alive, leading to widespread controversy.
According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 1st, a video was released showing officials explaining the cremation encouragement policy to the family caring for a sick elderly person in a rural village in Anhui Province on the 19th of last month, drawing criticism.
In this village, there is a custom of the dying lying on the floor. Local officials visited the family and emphasized the benefits of policies like "free cremation," but the family merely listened politely. The video quickly spread online, and public sentiment erupted, saying, "It is very inappropriate to advertise cremation while the person is still alive."
In China, there is a deep-rooted culture of shying away from conversations related to death. While bereaved families expressed their objections through arguments instead of heated confrontations, anger towards the behavior of officials is growing. The local government clarified that they were not targeting just the specific family but were guiding the entire village regarding the services and issued an apology. However, there are ongoing criticisms that this is an insincere excuse.
Since the enactment of the Funeral and Burial Law in 1985, the Chinese government has actively promoted the "eco-friendly funeral" policy. Instead of traditional burial, it encourages space-saving methods like cremation, tree burials, and water burials, providing various subsidies. As of 2012, the national cremation rate reached 58.8%. In the past five years, the number of eco-friendly funerals has increased by over 60%.
However, the perception that "being buried is peaceful" still lingers, and conflicts surrounding the policy continue. Some netizens have raised concerns that individuals may be forced into immediate cremation upon death.