China's Tomb-sweeping Day blends tech, eco-tributes

As China marks the Qingming (Tomb Sweeping) Festival on Friday, a day to honor one's ancestors, new digital tools and eco-friendly practices are reshaping how millions observe ancient traditions.

An hour's drive to the north of downtown Beijing lies the town of Shisanling, which gets its name from 13 imperial mausoleums of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Today, its green valleys are home to public cemeteries where common people are buried.

For the convenience of those who could not come to site to pay tribute to their ancestors, authorities of the town have launched a "cloud memorial" mini-program on the social media platform WeChat, enabling them to offer online tributes.

Users can upload photos and videos of their loved ones, create personalized digital memorial albums, and even generate AI-powered avatars to preserve memories of their ancestors.

"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 message posted on the mini-program.

Chinese people hold a deep and enduring reverence for ancestral traditions. In 2008, the government designated Qingming Festival as a public holiday – a decision that carried both cultural and practical significance.

As waves of urbanization drew millions away from their hometowns to study or work, the holiday provided not only a moment to honor ancestors at family grave sites, but also an opportunity to return home and reunite with loved ones.

However, not everyone can make the long journey home. At Shisanling, an innovative solution has been offered.

The digital memorial program also supports "digital tombstones" - virtual profiles tied to physical graves via unique QR codes - providing convenient access to memorial services.

More than 100,000 people have used the platform, with over 20,000 digital tombstones created.

Many mourners have expressed their appreciation for the service, as they can now commemorate their ancestors without the need to undertake arduous journeys, said one cemetery worker.

While the centuries-old Qingming custom of burning joss paper persists in China, an eco-conscious movement is reshaping ancestral remembrance.

The Fushouyuan cemetery in Yinchuan, capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, offers water-soluble stationery for mourners to write messages to the departed, reducing the environmental impact of such rituals.

Funerals are of great importance in China, and the extravagance of one's funeral and tomb was once used to judge the filial piety of one's descendants. However, the concept of green burials, aiming at curbing extravagance and advocating eco-friendly burials, is gaining in popularity.

Fushouyuan conducted a ceremony to bury six biodegradable urns beneath ceremonial lawns ahead of this year's Qingming. Since 2010, over 6,300 deceased individuals across Ningxia have opted for various forms of green burials.

Shenyang, the capital city of Liaoning, China's northernmost coastal province, will cover the cost of up to 5,300 sea burials this year. Municipal authorities will also extend monetary incentives for tree pod burials, lawn interments and floral burials, offering more options for eco-friendly funerary solutions.

"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," said Qi Xin, a researcher with 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."