"Wave of Deaths" Hits China: Nationwide Expansion of Funeral Homes

In December 2022, outside the Xi'an funeral home, a large number of relatives of the deceased were waiting. (Weibo image)

[Peopel News] Recently, netizens have noticed that multiple provincial and municipal governments across China have been expanding funeral homes since early last year. The official reason cited is to "adapt to changes in the funeral landscape and meet increasing cremation service demands." However, many believe this exposes the massive death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some netizens have even linked this to the rise of "ghost villages" in China, warning: "The wave of deaths has arrived." "Young people need to wake up, or they'll be exploited for generations."

During the pandemic, Chinese leader Xi Jinping took personal credit for the three-year-long, near-inhumane "zero-COVID" policy. The strict lockdowns persisted until the nationwide "White Paper Revolution" erupted in November 2022, led by university students protesting against the government's draconian measures. Under immense pressure, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) abruptly abandoned its "dynamic zero-COVID" policy and shifted to living with the virus.

Many citizens, after surviving years of strict lockdowns, thought they could finally return to normal life. However, waves of severe influenza and other viral outbreaks have continued, leading to persistent high mortality rates—a reality the government has been deliberately concealing. The large-scale expansion of funeral homes across China suggests that excess deaths have remained alarmingly high over the past few years. The impact is visible in numerous ways: "Ghost villages"—entire rural areas devoid of people. Deserted city streets, with significantly fewer pedestrians. Overcrowded hospitals, struggling to handle the influx of patients. These real-world observations suggest that the true death toll from COVID-19 and related illnesses far exceeds what the public has been led to believe.

According to information sourced from Google, in 2024, several provinces, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangdong, Shanxi, Hunan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, and Ningxia, have invested substantial amounts of money to construct or expand funeral homes on a large scale. Notably, Shanxi Province has allocated 4 billion yuan to establish 89 new funeral homes. In Hubei, the city of Guangshui has spent 270 million yuan on a crematorium that features pavilions and towers, resembling a luxurious villa.

In Guangdong Province alone, various cities such as Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Huizhou, Zhanjiang, Meizhou, and Yangxi County are undertaking expansion projects for their funeral homes.

The official website of the Pudong New Area government in Shanghai indicates that on April 16, 2024, a response was issued regarding the "Feasibility Study Report (Preliminary Design Depth) for the Expansion and Reconstruction Project of the Pudong Funeral Home." This response noted that the project aims to "adapt to changes in the funeral landscape and meet the demand for funeral services." The project is situated at No. 1401 Gonglu Branch Road, Caolu Town, Pudong New Area, within the existing land area of the Pudong Funeral Home, covering 58,772 square meters. The total estimated investment for this project is 773.4061 million yuan, with a construction timeline of 27 months.

The official website of the Shenzhen Municipal Construction Engineering Bureau reveals that on September 29, 2024, the "Shenzhen Funeral Home Expansion and Reconstruction Project" was announced, located within the Shenzhen Municipal Funeral Home in Longgang District, Nawan Street, with a total building area of 55,269 square meters. The project is currently under construction and has not yet begun the acceptance process.

On February 11, Chinese Douyin influencer Wang Liang (Shaoxing Good Person) highlighted in the "Shaoxing News Headlines" that the funeral home in Shengzhou, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province is undergoing a significant expansion. Currently, the facility handles 6,000 cremations annually, but this number is set to increase to 8,800 after the expansion. Reports indicate that the investment for this project amounts to a staggering 170 million yuan.

In reaction, several netizens from Zhejiang candidly remarked: "The population death wave in Shengzhou has arrived," "it's a tragedy," "the capacity for cremation is increasing, and the aging season is upon us," "I heard that 7,000 people died last year, while only 2,000 were born," "Is the death rate in Shengzhou on the rise?" "There are too many elderly people; we can't keep up with the cremations," "Will business be booming soon?" "The pandemic is still a daily concern."

International netizens also shared their thoughts: "After three years of the pandemic, China may have lost hundreds of millions of people; cities are deserted, villages are empty, and the current population might be under one billion..." "What kind of country is this, where even the population figures are state secrets?" "Without the Communist Party, there would be a new China! Young people need to wake up; otherwise, future generations will only be treated as chives!" "In Communist China, during the first year of COVID, masks generated profits; in the second year, vaccines did; in the third year, nucleic acid tests profited; in the fourth year, makeshift hospitals made money; and in the fifth year, graveyards became profitable," "Forcing vaccinations has led to widespread illness, and when the plague strikes, the entire area is filled with the infected."

Currently, various viruses, including COVID-19 (referred to as the Chinese Communist Party virus), influenza, norovirus, and avian influenza, continue to wreak havoc in China. Hospitals are overwhelmed daily, and there are numerous deaths reported across the country. Many overseas influencers in self-media are urging people to quickly withdraw from the Communist Party, the Youth League, and the Young Pioneers organizations. They recommend reciting the nine-character mantra 'Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is good' in their hearts every day. Numerous personal accounts have demonstrated that this practice can lead to divine protection, helping individuals survive and remain safe during the pandemic, thus enabling them to navigate through this crisis safely.