China: State Council revises funeral management regulations to strengthen public welfare attributes

Date: January 8th, 2026

The State Council of China has announced the revised Regulations on Funeral Management, which will officially come into effect on March 30, 2026. The core principles of the revision include: strengthening the public welfare attribute, advocating civilized thrift, and promoting green ecology. According to the new regulations, newly established funeral service institutions must be non-profit organizations organized by the government, and no new for-profit funeral institutions will be approved.

The new regulations explicitly prohibit the construction of graves on cultivated land, forest land, urban parks, scenic spots, cultural relics protection areas, and along railway and highway lines. Existing graves, in addition to having historical value, must be relocated or transformed into deep burial without leaving graves.