Thousands of tombs ‘taking up space of living’ demolished in China

A county in central China has demolished over 70,000 tombs illegally built by residents to prepare for when they die, according to a news website report.

It is a custom among people living in Tongcheng county in Hubei province to commission their tomb while still alive, but the local authorities say the structures sprawl across the local area and have even been built in public parks as well as rural areas, Cnr.cn reported. 

The crackdown on the buildings began last July. 

Zhang Dengpan, the county’s deputy civil affairs bureau chief, was quoted as saying: “With the improvement in living standards, people have started building tombs for their sons and even their grandsons only a few years old. The living will have no space if this trend continues.”

The tombs include lavish structures built by successful businessmen with pools, gardens and marble staircases around them, according to the report.