The New York Times
April 22, 2011
Some local governments would like those who succeed not to lord it over others, at least when it comes to paying final respects.
Low-cost burials have been national policy since at least 1997, when state decree No. 225 ordered land at cemeteries conserved and “thrifty funeral arrangements” promoted.
Rising prices have cast China’s whole funeral industry in an unflattering light. Local governments are blamed for the inflation in prices because they limit competition. Most cemeteries are controlled by the government; the rest depend on permits from the government, which owns the land.
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