Lawn option of ecological cemetery in Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing.（Photo/news.china.com.cn）
(ECNS) -- Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, Beijing's main resting place for revolutionary heroes and high government officials, has introduced seven new green burial methods to save land. It is also considering a GPS service to quickly locate burial sites, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
At first sight, Rongzhen Park in northern Babaoshan appears to be a tourist attraction with its artificial hills, blooming flowers, beautiful plants, a marble bridge over flowing water, and a quaint pavilion. However, great effort has been taken to turn trees, lawn, rocks, and lamp holders into potential burial spot options.
Meng Xiankai, a spokesman for the cemetery, said people can choose to put the cremains of their loved ones under a tree, beneath the lawn, or in other places in the park.
"If the dead wish to return to nature, there is the option in our ecological cemetery for ashes to be sprayed (in the soil)," he said.
This new way to lay the dead to rest occupies a plot of just 0.48 square meters, much smaller than the size of a traditional grave. There are plans for Rongzhen Park, which covers an area of 16,000 square meters, to become the final resting place for 2,000 people.
Meng also said the park plans to use GPS to mark and locate each spot where cremated remains are placed, with an accuracy of three meters.
Building of the ecological burial graveyard at Babaoshan, which literally means "The Eight-Treasure Mountains," started in January 2014 and finished in August 2015. It is intended to set an example for Beijing's drive to increase green burials.
To save space and reduce the environmental impact of scattered ashes, Beijing announced plans in 2015 to ensure that at least half of its deceased citizens would have "eco-friendly" funerals by 2020, including sea burials.
