China Bans Bone Ash Apartments, New Funeral Rules

0:00On March 31, China's government just dropped a new law, banning folks from stashing cremated ashes in empty apartments, a trend called bone ash, apartments that's been blowing up lately. These spots popped up because cemetery plots are super scarce and pricey, with leases renewing every 20 years, while empty homes sit cheap thanks. To falling property values, down about 40% since 2021, people turned these unused flats into mini shrines, sealing windows and hanging curtains to honor their dead relatives, dodging those steep funerals. Bills that can hit half the average yearly salary. On social media like Weibo, everyone's buzzing, folks point out cemetery costs starting at around 10,000 yuan in places like Beijing, questioning how cops will even spot or enforce the ban without affordable options. This hits right before Qingming Festival, tomb-sweeping day, and pairs with fresh rules from regulators to cut funeral fraud and pricing scams, aiming to ease the load on families nationwide. That's the story for today.

1:04Global News Today, Driven by AI