Local governments have been forcing people to go against their traditions and be cremated after death in an effort to control limited land resources.
Not only does this forfeit ancient traditions, but it now may also be the cause of suicide all over the country, in order for people to ensure they can be buried in a coffin.
The Beijing News Daily reports that Anqing, a city in the eastern Anhui, now insists that all locals who pass away after June 1 must be cremated in order to comply with new government regulations. Following this new law, it seems coincidental that six suicides have been reported in the above area as families don’t take well against the new law.
Anging locals can spend up to 10 years preparing their coffins, yet only just discovered the upcoming burial ban in April, a mere month before the law took place.
Local government departments are denying the suicides have any connection to the burial ban, claiming coffins have been given up voluntarily.
A local official has been quoted saying, “China is big, death and sickness amongst the elderly is normal.”
Families claim differently, as 91-year-old Wu Zhengde killed herself on May 5 after hearing of the upcoming ban. Zheng Shifang, an elderly lady aged 83, committed suicide after having officials saw her coffin in half in front of her.
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