Remembering loved ones

Four ships carrying the ashes of 393 deceased people ploughed through the waves and sailed into the Dapeng sea area yesterday when Shenzhen held a mass sea burial.

The ashes, including those of 52 deceased people from Guiyang in Guizhou Province and three body donors, were scattered in the waters off Dapeng Bay with flower petals.

As the ships arrived at the designated burial places, each family took turns standing beside metal funnels that were hung from the sides of the vessels, emptied their urns and bid farewell to their deceased loved ones.

As land resources are limited, eco-friendly burials like tree, sea and flower bed burials are becoming more popular as they occupy no or less land.

A mass tree burial was also held yesterday morning at Jitian Cemetery in Buji, Longgang District. Wearing white gloves and holding baskets of chrysanthemum petals, the participating families queued in an orderly manner and placed the ashes of their deceased loved ones under a flourishing tree.

The ashes of 133 deceased people were buried during the tree burial yesterday, according to the city's civil affairs bureau.

Shenzhen has been promoting greener options like sea, tree and flower bed burials since 1998. As of yesterday, the bureau had organized 47 sea burials and 16 tree burials.

A woman hangs a card with blessings onto a tree yesterday to remember the loved ones she has lost at Jitian Cemetery in Buji, Longgang District. Shenzhen held mass sea and tree funerals yesterday in an effort to encourage green burials. Photos by Liu Xudong

A sea burial in the Dapeng sea area yesterday.

Residents take turns to stand beside metal funnels that were hung from the sides of the vessels to empty their urns and bid farewell to their deceased loved ones.

A mass tree burial takes place yesterday morning at Jitian Cemetery in Buji, Longgang District. 

Residents take turns to stand beside metal funnels that were hung from the sides of the vessels to empty their urns and bid farewell to their deceased loved ones.

Residents take turns to stand beside metal funnels that were hung from the sides of the vessels to empty their urns and bid farewell to their deceased loved ones.

Residents take turns to stand beside metal funnels that were hung from the sides of the vessels to empty their urns and bid farewell to their deceased loved ones.

A man hangs a card with blessings onto a tree yesterday to remember the loved ones she has lost at Jitian Cemetery in Buji, Longgang District. 

Residents take turns to stand beside metal funnels that were hung from the sides of the vessels to empty their urns and bid farewell to their deceased loved ones.

Residents take turns to stand beside metal funnels that were hung from the sides of the vessels to empty their urns and bid farewell to their deceased loved ones.