A Chinese woman sparked outrage online after suggesting an unconventional way to save money on funeral services. On July 18, she posted on Weibo, recommending that her financially strained friend store his father’s ashes in a Hive Box parcel locker rather than a traditional cinerary urn. She explained that Hive Box charges a modest annual membership fee of 55 yuan (US$8), with no additional costs. The friend, living in a small home with limited space, followed this advice.
The Weibo post, which has since been deleted, drew significant backlash. Hive Box clarified that they do not permit the storage of human or animal remains in their lockers. The woman has since apologized for the “misleading and harmful impact” of her suggestion and closed her Weibo account.
Critics on Weibo condemned the idea as “immoral,” noting it disregarded both the deceased’s dignity and the community’s standards. In China, where land for graves is scarce and costly, cremation is prevalent. The average price for a grave in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai can exceed 100,000 yuan (approximately Rs 11.5 lakh). The government is promoting alternative methods such as scattering ashes at sea or burying them under trees to address land shortages, though these practices remain uncommon.