China31 March, 20261 min read
China Bans Bone-Ash Apartments, Clears Way for Solemn Funeral Costs
Bans storing cremated remains in empty high-rise flats, ending bone-ash apartments. Law aims to curb rising funeral costs and cemetery shortages amid urbanization.
Bone-Ash Apartment Ban
China has banned the use of residential apartments to store cremated remains. The new law prohibits the use of residential properties specifically for the placement of ashes. Bone-ash apartments are empty units transformed into ancestral shrines.
Funeral Costs Drive Shift
Cemetery spaces remain scarce and expensive, often with only a temporary lease. Property prices in China have fallen 40% in 2025 from 2021. Funeral costs ranked as the second highest in the world after Japan.
Population Aging Pressure
China recorded 11.3 million deaths in 2025, surpassing births. Residential properties carry 70-year usage rights. Cemetery plots require renewal every 20 years.
Government Regulation and Reaction
The ban came just days before the Qingming Festival. Authorities are introducing new rules to tackle fraud. Critics questioned how to monitor private apartments.