Chinese officials ‘bought corpses’ to meet cremation quota
Quotas were introduced to preserve land for farming and development, but have angered local residents
Two officials in China have been arrested for allegedly buying corpses in order to meet their state-mandated cremation targets.
They reportedly bought several bodies from a grave robber and are believed to have paid between £150 and £300 per corpse.
"Body-snatching is, therefore, a lucrative, illicit business, involving bribe-taking local officials who look the other way," the Washington Post reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Identified only as He and Dong, the two men were in charge of implementing Beijing’s funeral management reform. The cremation quotas were introduced in order to discourage burials and preserve land for farming and development.
But the rules have been met with widespread resistance in a country where ancestral worship at grave sites is seen as an important tradition, AFP reports. It is also a commonly held belief that the body must be intact in order to achieve a peaceful afterlife.
The Chinese media has even reported that several elderly citizens committed suicide before the rules were implemented in order to ensure they could be buried. Other reports suggest that many families have simply resorted to burying their relatives in secret.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What power does Elon Musk hold as a campaigner?
Talking Points The world's richest man is going all in to get Donald Trump elected in November — whether it will make a difference is entirely unclear
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Some of the delay is needless'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Why does Donald Trump want to free the founder of an online black market?
Today's Big Question Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison for creating the Silk Road market
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
A brief history of third parties in the US
In Depth Though none of America's third parties have won a presidential election, they have nonetheless had a large impact on the country's politics
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Modern royal scandals from around the world
The Explainer From Spain to the UAE, royal families have often been besieged by negative events
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published