Member of the Miao minority. in China
Local authorities in a rural province in southwestern China have banned burials due to lack of space. The measure provoked protests from members of an ethnic minority who view cremation as disrespectful to the dead.
Protests broke out in a village in a rural province in southwest China against authorities who imposed a mandatory cremation order of the dead.
In practice, the measure prohibits burials of Miao populationone of the main ethnic minorities in the province of Guizhouwho live largely in rural areas.
Burials are considered a central practice in the culture of the Miao people and other groups in the country. In these cases, cremation can be interpreted as a gesture of disrespect towards the deceased person, since the destruction of the body would represent their disconnection from family and ancestry.
According to the British newspaper, residents of Guizhou, which is 2,000 kilometers from Beijing, will be pressed by local authorities to cremate dead relatives, including through threats.
In recent days, social media accounts that publicize dissident activity in China have published videos showing residents on the streets shouting slogans against the authorities and, in one case, even surrounding a police car. Videos of the protests could not be independently verified.
Demographic pressure
In recent years, the Chinese regime has acted to change the population’s perceptions about burials and favor cremations. Because of rapid population growth, the supply of land for tombs has become scarceleading authorities to defend alternatives labeled as “more sustainable” and that take up less space, such as depositing human remains at sea or under trees.
In 2015, the news reported that the government even organized a competition between crematorium employees. The winner would have been chosen for his technical skills to occupy a position little appreciated by many Chinese.
More and more protests
Mass protests are rare in mainland China, but certain groups, including the rural population, have shown a greater propensity to challenge the government on specific demands. The China Dissent Monitor (CDM), a tool from the North American organization Freedom House that maps protests across the country, recorded 1392 protests in China in the third quarter of this year, an increase of 45% compared to the same period in 2024.
Of these protests, 15% were led by residents of rural areas, compared to 38% by workers and 29% by property owners.
Schools have also become an increasingly frequent stage, according to the CDM. In August, a case of bullying triggered a wave of protests in Sichuan province. Other cases were motivated by the dissatisfaction of parents and teachers regarding the increasing financial difficulties faced by schools as a result of the economic recession in China.
