Services by the sea for the dearly departed
Print Edition
AN increasing number of Jiading residents have been choosing sea burials when they come to the end of their lives.
Hu, a Jiading native, scattered her mother’s ashes at sea three years ago.
“During her last days, my mother said she didn’t travel a lot and wished to embrace the sea to travel around the world after her death,” Hu said.
“She didn’t want to leave us trouble,” Hu added.
Hu didn’t visit a seaside monument to pay her respects during this year’s Qingming Festival as she had recently given birth and had to look after her baby. Her father went on his own.
Hu’s mother had been sick since Hu was a little girl. Her father struggled to feed the family while Hu took care of her mother and their home after school.
Life was not easy but at least the family was together.
Her mother’s death hit hard. Hu became seriously ill and lost a lot of weight after her mother died.
Even today, she chokes with emotion when her mother is mentioned. “I can see her as long as there’s sea,” she said.
Since 1991, the ashes of around 30,000 people have been scattered at sea in Shanghai, helping to save 8.3 hectares of land.
“Mom and Dad, we’re here to see you,” Liu and his wife called out to honor his parents at Shanghai Seaside Cemetery, which holds offshore memorial services every year.
“My parents made the choice to be buried at sea,” said Liu.
He got to know about the cemetery when he researched the topic online.
Liu and his wife take part in the offshore memorial service every year.
“My parents thought sea burials protect the environment, save resources and are close to the nature. That’s fine,” Liu said.
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