SHENZHEN funeral service will launch free sea burial and tree burial services during the Qingming Festival from April 3 to 5, a tradition by Chinese to show respect for their deceased loved ones.
Families who need the service can call 8957-5765 or 2844-4444 to apply, the city s civil affairs bureau said in a public notice yesterday.
The service is to promote funeral services in an environmentally friendly way. By the end of last year, the ashes of 30,000 people had been disposed of by sea burials.
To promote a low carbon situation for tomb sweepers to respect their deceased ones, the civil affairs authority would further promote online mourning.
The authority reminded visitors to cemeteries to stagger the times and take buses to avoid over crowding.
Elderly and disabled people in Shenzhen could pay their respects at home. The funeral service authority can deliver ashes to the families and those in need of the service can call 0755-8957-4911, 2844-4444.
In addition to five cemeteries such as Jitian, Dapeng and Bao en Dudi which were commercial operations, the other 19 cemeteries, most in Bao an and Longgang districts, were managed by villages and prices were low. (Han Ximin)
