China's Tomb-sweeping Day Merges Technology and Eco-Friendly Tributes
As China celebrates Qingming Festival on Friday, a day dedicated to honoring ancestors, innovative digital tools and environmentally friendly practices are transforming how millions engage with this traditional observance. Located just an hour's...
TroibNews 
As China celebrates Qingming Festival on Friday, a day dedicated to honoring ancestors, innovative digital tools and environmentally friendly practices are transforming how millions engage with this traditional observance.
Located just an hour's drive north of downtown Beijing, the town of Shisanling is named after the thirteen imperial mausoleums from the Ming Dynasty. Today, its lush valleys house public cemeteries where ordinary people find their final resting place.
In response to those unable to visit burial sites, local authorities have introduced a "cloud memorial" mini-program on the WeChat social media platform, which allows individuals to pay online tributes to their ancestors.
Through the program, users can upload photos and videos of their loved ones, curate personalized digital memorial albums, and even create artificial intelligence-powered avatars to keep memories of their ancestors alive.
"As Qingming arrives once again, I present this bunch of virtual flowers to you. Though free from any sweet scent, they carry with them my grief and longing," read one heartfelt message shared on the mini-program.
The Chinese people have a profound respect for ancestral traditions. In 2008, the government declared Qingming Festival a public holiday, a decision that holds both cultural and practical significance.
As urbanization has drawn millions away from their hometowns for education or work, the holiday has become not only a time to honor ancestors at gravesites but also a chance to return home and reunite with family.
Yet, the long journey home is not feasible for everyone. In Shisanling, a forward-thinking solution is being implemented.
The digital memorial program features "digital tombstones" – virtual profiles linked to physical graves through unique QR codes – making memorial services more accessible.
The platform has already attracted over 100,000 users, generating upwards of 20,000 digital tombstones.
Many mourners have voiced gratitude for this service, allowing them to honor their ancestors without the burden of extensive travel, as noted by a cemetery worker.
While the age-old custom of burning joss paper continues in China, an environmentally conscious movement is shifting the landscape of ancestral remembrance.
Fushouyuan cemetery in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, provides water-soluble stationery for mourners to write messages to the departed, thereby minimizing the ecological impact of these rituals.
Funeral practices hold immense significance in China, where the lavishness of funerals and tombs was historically used to evaluate the filial piety of descendants. However, the idea of green burials, which aims to reduce extravagance and promote eco-friendly practices, is on the rise.
Ahead of this year's Qingming, Fushouyuan held a ceremony to bury six biodegradable urns within ceremonial lawns. Since 2010, over 6,300 individuals in Ningxia have chosen various forms of green burials.
In Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province, authorities will fund up to 5,300 sea burials this year. They are also providing financial incentives for tree pod burials, lawn interments, and floral burials, expanding eco-friendly funerary options.
"From incense smoke rising at grave sites to digital offerings in cloud memorials, China's ancestral rites are embracing the advancement of society and technology," remarked Qi Xin, a researcher at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences. "While the expressions of remembrance vary, what never fades is that timeless human thread – cherishing the memories of our loved ones."
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
Located just an hour's drive north of downtown Beijing, the town of Shisanling is named after the thirteen imperial mausoleums from the Ming Dynasty. Today, its lush valleys house public cemeteries where ordinary people find their final resting place.
In response to those unable to visit burial sites, local authorities have introduced a "cloud memorial" mini-program on the WeChat social media platform, which allows individuals to pay online tributes to their ancestors.
Through the program, users can upload photos and videos of their loved ones, curate personalized digital memorial albums, and even create artificial intelligence-powered avatars to keep memories of their ancestors alive.
"As Qingming arrives once again, I present this bunch of virtual flowers to you. Though free from any sweet scent, they carry with them my grief and longing," read one heartfelt message shared on the mini-program.
The Chinese people have a profound respect for ancestral traditions. In 2008, the government declared Qingming Festival a public holiday, a decision that holds both cultural and practical significance.
As urbanization has drawn millions away from their hometowns for education or work, the holiday has become not only a time to honor ancestors at gravesites but also a chance to return home and reunite with family.
Yet, the long journey home is not feasible for everyone. In Shisanling, a forward-thinking solution is being implemented.
The digital memorial program features "digital tombstones" – virtual profiles linked to physical graves through unique QR codes – making memorial services more accessible.
The platform has already attracted over 100,000 users, generating upwards of 20,000 digital tombstones.
Many mourners have voiced gratitude for this service, allowing them to honor their ancestors without the burden of extensive travel, as noted by a cemetery worker.
While the age-old custom of burning joss paper continues in China, an environmentally conscious movement is shifting the landscape of ancestral remembrance.
Fushouyuan cemetery in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, provides water-soluble stationery for mourners to write messages to the departed, thereby minimizing the ecological impact of these rituals.
Funeral practices hold immense significance in China, where the lavishness of funerals and tombs was historically used to evaluate the filial piety of descendants. However, the idea of green burials, which aims to reduce extravagance and promote eco-friendly practices, is on the rise.
Ahead of this year's Qingming, Fushouyuan held a ceremony to bury six biodegradable urns within ceremonial lawns. Since 2010, over 6,300 individuals in Ningxia have chosen various forms of green burials.
In Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province, authorities will fund up to 5,300 sea burials this year. They are also providing financial incentives for tree pod burials, lawn interments, and floral burials, expanding eco-friendly funerary options.
"From incense smoke rising at grave sites to digital offerings in cloud memorials, China's ancestral rites are embracing the advancement of society and technology," remarked Qi Xin, a researcher at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences. "While the expressions of remembrance vary, what never fades is that timeless human thread – cherishing the memories of our loved ones."
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
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