China Enacts Law to Prohibit 'Bone Ash Apartments' Amid Rising Deaths
China is implementing new legislation to ban the practice of using residential apartments as storage for the ashes of deceased relatives, a trend that has emerged due to soaring costs and limited availability of cemetery plots. The law, set to take effect this week, specifically prohibits the use of housing for storing cremated remains and restricts burials to designated public cemeteries.
Urbanisation and Aging Population Drive Funeral Challenges
The phenomenon, known as "guhui fang" or bone ash apartments, has gained traction as rapid urbanisation and an aging population intensify competition for burial spaces in cities. With China recording 11.3 million deaths in 2025, up from 9.8 million in 2015, the demand for affordable funeral options has surged. These apartments are often converted into ritual halls, featuring ancestral shrines adorned with candles, red lights, and urns arranged by generation.
Economic Factors and Public Reaction
Funeral expenses in China are among the highest globally, second only to Japan, according to a 2020 survey. Meanwhile, property prices have declined by 40% between 2021 and 2025, partly due to government policies aimed at curbing real estate speculation. This has made apartments appear more cost-effective than cemetery plots, which typically come with only a 20-year lease compared to the 70-year usage rights of residential properties.
On social media platform Weibo, a hashtag related to the ban has garnered over 7 million views, with users expressing scepticism. Comments ranged from questioning enforcement methods to highlighting the ongoing affordability crisis, with one user noting, "Even at 90% off, cemetery plots are still too expensive."
Alternative Burial Methods and Future Implications
In response to land shortages, cities like Shanghai are promoting subsidised ecological burial options, such as deep-ground or sea burials. In 2025, Shanghai reported a record high of more than 10,000 sea burials. As China's population continues to age rapidly, with deaths far exceeding births, authorities are grappling with balancing traditional practices with sustainable solutions for the deceased.
