Ecological burials slowly growing in popularity   

杭州生态殡葬遇冷 民众抱怨死不起又不愿“便宜死”

清明雨纷纷，3月26日，在淅淅沥沥的小雨中，一场没有亲人参加的集体公益生态葬仪式在杭州的钱江陵园内举行。为10位孤寡老人骨灰安排的是庄重的花坛安葬仪式，在乐队的伴奏下，老人的名字被刻在了花坛葬壁中间，陵园还敬献了鲜花和花篮，使得整场仪式既庄重又温情。

Hangzhou (CNS) -- Ahead of Tomb Sweeping Day, an "ecological" burial ceremony was held Tuesday for 10 seniors with no family members at east China's Qianjiang Cemetery.

Ecological burials include burials at sea or in the ground that occupy less space than tombs.

In a light rain, with funeral music and flowers, the ashes of the seniors were buried and their names were carved on memorial walls.

The director of the local funeral association said he hoped the public would become more aware of "green" burials, as well as seniors and single people without families.

"In general, more residents are choosing ecological burials compared with past years, but the total number is still small," said a cemetery manager surnamed Zhou.

Such burials accounted for only five percent last year, he added.

Well educated residents and young people usually choose ecological burials, whereas older and less educated Chinese people tend to believe that a tomb burial brings peace to the deceased, Zhou said.

Mid-priced gravesites are selling well at cemeteries in Hangzhou. "The prices of 80 percent of our sold gravesites are around 20,000 yuan (US$3,184), while few people prefer graves below 10,000 yuan," said Guo Jichuan, an employee at Nanshan Cemetery.

"Many complain that it is 'expensive to die,' but they are reluctant to 'die cheaply'," the manager of a Hangzhou cemetery said.