State media reported on Wednesday that China has discovered extensive corruption within its funeral services sector, involving illegal fees and cemetery operations by long-standing managers and officials of funeral homes.
A scandal erupted just last week involving a Chinese company accused of illegally harvesting, stealing, and reselling thousands of corpses, some from funeral homes, following a viral report by state-backed outlet the Paper on social media. Investigations by disciplinary authorities in provinces including Anhui, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Sichuan, and Yunnan have resulted in numerous allegations of misconduct by employees of funeral parlors and related entities, according to the state-run China Daily.
Numerous cases have surfaced since the investigations began at the start of the year, with many of those implicated having extensive industry experience. China has been waging a relentless anti-corruption campaign across various industries since the beginning of the year, a rigorous initiative pursued by President Xi Jinping since he assumed power in 2012.
Graft campaigns in Anhui, Liaoning, and Jilin have uncovered illegal fees charged by funeral parlors, along with unauthorized construction and operation of cemeteries and staff corruption, as reported by the Global Times, a mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party.
In Anhui province, Communist Party investigators detained Zhang Duo, an employee of the Panji district funeral home in Huainan city, on charges of "suspected serious violations of discipline and law," a term often used to refer to graft cases. Zhang could not be immediately reached for comment. In Sichuan province, discipline officials in Dazhou city initiated proceedings against 89 individuals and detained six, according to the China Daily.
Also under investigation is a manager surnamed Yang, who has worked in the funeral business for over 30 years in Quxian county, Sichuan, though no further details were provided by the government. Authorities in Jilin province have intensified efforts to combat misconduct and corruption in the industry in response to public complaints, state media added.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has reinforced its commitment to relentlessly pursue Xi's directive to apprehend corrupt and disloyal officials. Its website has consistently highlighted the significance of a firm stance against corruption, bribery, and the root causes of these issues.
