Beijing crematoriums are witnessing a growing trend of families choosing not to keep the ashes of their loved ones after cremation.

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

[People News] A friend in Beijing recently shared a concerning trend: an increasing number of people are opting to forgo the ashes of their relatives post-cremation. A funeral home in Changping, Beijing, reported that over 120 families signed documents to relinquish the ashes last year, a figure that was only half during the five years of the pandemic.

What drives this decision?

A major factor is the lack of suitable storage options. The steep price of 100,000 yuan per square meter for burial plots in Beijing poses a significant burden for ordinary citizens, who are already facing economic hardships. For some, keeping the ashes at home is also considered a taboo. Even those from rural areas or other provinces who might wish to bury their loved ones back home find it impractical: who will come to pay their respects?

Some may argue that free sea burials are now available and that many support this option. However, for those who struggle to let go of their loved ones, a sea burial can feel like severing the last connection. The ocean is vast; when longing for a loved one, where can one go to pay tribute? Consequently, some individuals choose to secretly bury the ashes under a tree or in a remote location after their loved one passes away, allowing them to visit quietly when they feel the need to remember.

But when will the souls adrift in the sea find a chance for rebirth? Influenced by atheism, modern individuals often believe that death is akin to a light extinguishing, and they do not subscribe to the notion of a soul existing after death. As a result, they may not believe that loved ones need to be buried; otherwise, some souls would have nowhere to find solace before being reincarnated.

Before the author was born, both of their grandparents passed away, and their ashes were kept at home, though the author was unaware of this. When the author was a child, one day the father had a sudden dream about the grandmother, who mentioned that 'they' were very cold over there and had not yet been buried. Upon waking, the father quickly purchased a burial plot in their hometown, interred the grandparents' ashes, and burned paper money and clothing. Since that time, the father has not experienced any similar dreams.

Does the soul truly exist? British doctor Sam Parnell is the first person in the world to scientifically demonstrate the existence of the 'soul.' His experimental design is as follows: If a patient's 'soul' can rise after death, allowing them to see their own body, observe the doctors attempting to revive them, and notice the lights on the ceiling, then a board placed below the ceiling with some small objects on it (known only to Sam) should be visible to the 'soul.' If this patient is revived and can accurately identify the small objects on the board, it would help determine whether the 'soul' is merely an ethereal concept or an objectively existing entity.

Sam conducted research involving over 100 patients and discovered that 7 of those who were revived were able to recount the scenes they witnessed when their 'soul' left their body, particularly the small objects on the board, and all their descriptions were accurate.

Sam's experiment was a success, confirming the objective existence of the 'soul.' He perceives the 'soul' as an entity that exists objectively, possessing a certain size, capable of floating and moving. It represents an alternative form of existence for human life, rather than being a mere figment of imagination.

The author has encountered similar instances, such as the phenomenon of the soul leaving the body during surgery, where individuals may observe the busy doctors from above or float through a time-space tunnel, ultimately returning to their bodies due to emotional ties.

One of the most notable historical figures associated with 'near-death experiences' is Emanuel Swedenborg, an esteemed scientist, philosopher, and theologian from 18th-century Sweden. He documented his experiences in the spiritual realm in his significant work 'Heavenly Secrets,' where he elaborates on the visions he encountered and the insights he gained about the spiritual world through interactions with other beings.

His writings have profoundly influenced subsequent generations and continue to resonate with many today. Numerous distinguished scholars have praised him, including the psychoanalyst Carl Jung, the renowned American author Helen Keller, the celebrated American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American statesman and scientist Benjamin Franklin, the British poet couple Robert and Elizabeth Browning, the eminent German poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, as well as American presidents George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt, among others.

If the soul does not vanish with the physical death of a person, then concepts such as reincarnation and karma are not mere illusions, and we can grasp the true meaning of life and death. This implies that our parting from loved ones is only a 'temporary farewell,' and our bonds will carry on into the next life.

(First published in People News)△