Cremation, commonly known as cremation, is the way to deal with corpses. Specifically, it is to burn the corpses to ashes with fire, then place them in containers, buried in soil, sprinkle them in water or in the sky.

Cremation commonly known as cremation , is a way to deal with corpses. Specifically, it is to burn the corpses to ashes with fire, then place them in containers ( urn jars ), buried in soil, sprinkle in water or in the sky. Hindu , Buddhism is popular for cremation, Taoist , Confucian , Islam and Christian religion are popular for burial. Since the twentieth century, cremation has been promoted around the world to save increasingly shortage of cultivated land. To date, the overall cremation rate in mainland China is close to 50% (the cremation rate of citizens in cities such as Shanghai reaches 100%), the United States is 56.1%, South Korea is 74%, Japan is 99.85% (2008), Taiwan is 95.65% (2015), Sweden and Denmark are both 75%, the United Kingdom is 72.45%, New Zealand and Australia is 470%.

1, modern cremation program

cremation ceremony is usually held in crematoriums, where there are one or more cremation furnaces . Cremation furnace is an industrial furnace with a temperature of up to 870-980 °C, ensuring that the body can be disintegrated. Cremation furnaces are only allowed to cremate one body at a time, which is also the law of many countries, including the United States. The fuels of modern cremator furnaces include gas and diesel. Many crematoriums have adjustable control systems to monitor the condition of the furnace during cremation. A crematorium is sometimes part of a chapel or funeral home, or a separate facility or service provided by a cemetery.

Crematoriums in a certain place in the UK

Most crematoriums have standard sizes. But there are also some super-large crematoriums, which can handle dead people weighing up to 200 kilograms. In addition, many large crematoriums will set up a small crematorium to deal with young or premature children.

Jewelry, such as watches and rings, are usually removed and returned to the family before cremation. There is also pacemaker , which must be removed before cremation, because the pacemaker may explode or damage the crematorium.

After cremation, the rest are dry bone fragments, mostly calcium phosphates and secondary minerals. Because the weight of the dry bone fragments is very close to the weight of the bones, they vary for different people.

Cremation in the Edo period of Japan

After cremation is completed, bone fragments will be swept out from the crematorium, and the operator will then grind it to sandy ashes by using the crusher . Since the cremated bone fragments are ground into ash soil, they are also called "ashes".

Then, the ashes will be placed in a container, which can be a simple carton, or a fancy urn.

Ashes can be stored in an urn, or scattered in a special place, such as on a mountain, in the sea (burial of the sea), or buried underground, etc. But in the end, it depends on the deceased's last wish or his religious belief .

2. History in China

In ancient China, cremation was not popular due to the influence of Confucianism "infiltrated". But the frontier ethnic minorities had cremation very early. The idea of cremation in the Central Plains was introduced after Buddhism was introduced.

Buddhism was introduced to China in Eastern Han , and cremation began to appear in the Central Plains, but it was not common. However, after the monks in the temple passed away, most of them used cremation. The cremation furnace of the monks in the temple is also called the incarnation kiln. "Hidden Monks" records many Chinese and foreign monks burned their bodies, and were cremated after their deaths, and some even passed away by burning themselves.

Cremation was prohibited during the Song Dynasty, but cremation was still popular. The Song Dynasty was the most prosperous dynasty in Chinese history. It is estimated that the cremation rate in all parts of the country was between 10% and 30%, and until today, the average cremation rate in my country is only 50%. For example, in the 25th chapter of " Water Margin ", Wu Dalang was cremated in the coffin after his death. In 1135, Song Huizong of Song died of illness in Wuguocheng eight years later, and it is said that cremation was also carried out according to local customs.

Nan Song court prohibited civil cremation, while Yuan dynasty stipulated that all native Han people would be buried in the land.

Cremation was still prohibited in China at the end of the Ming and early Qing dynasties, but the custom of cremation was still unable to be completely eradicated.Cremation was allowed in the early Qing Dynasty. For example, after Nurhaci's death, it was cremation after . In the early days after entering the pass, Emperor Shunzhi and Dong Efei also cremated, but then it began to restrict cremation and encouraged burial. But Buddhist monks and nuns of the Qing Dynasty and some believers were still cremated in the temple. After Qianlong issued the "Bank of Funerals of Banners", people across the country were strictly prohibited from cremating funerals.

pictures are from the Internet

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it advocated that cremation replaces burial. In 1985, the State Council issued the "Interim Provisions on Funeral Management". For the first time, it was stipulated that cremation was forcibly implemented in areas with "dense population, few arable land and convenient transportation", and that state employees who do not comply with this regulation were punished. The "Funeral Management Regulations" issued on July 21, 1997 also has the same provisions. However, the implementation has not been smooth, especially in rural areas. First, "being buried in peace" is a traditional Chinese concept, especially many elderly people are very opposed to cremation. In addition, many Chinese people do not understand cremation very well. They put the cremated ashes into the coffin and then bury them in the earth, and as a result, they cannot save land.

3. Burial or cremation?

Cremation benefits:

Burial is a known source of certain environmental pollutants, where mercury, arsenic and formaldehyde in the preservative liquid will contaminate groundwater. The coffin itself is another source of pollution. Other pollution problems include radioactive isotopes entering the human body before death or burial (such as radiation therapy). The decay of these corpses may cause environmental pollution.

On the other hand, burial takes up a lot of space. In traditional burials, the corpse is placed in a coffin made of different materials. Many cemeteries, especially in Japan, Europe and larger cities, are beginning to have insufficient space.

For some people, they do not like traditional burials. They think that the decomposition process is slow in the long run, and some people think they prefer cremation because their bodies can be processed immediately.

Images are from the Internet

In addition, cost factors often make cremation more attractive. Generally speaking, the cost of cremation is lower than that of traditional burial services, especially when choosing direct cremation, the corpse is cremated as soon as possible according to law, without any other form of service. However, the cost of cremation services can vary greatly, mainly based on how the deceased or his family members wish to perform a cremation ceremony.

Cremnance harms:

cremation process has a significant impact on the environment.

Burial is a culture that has been buried from ancient times to the present. The West implements cremation because they think they have gone to heaven, but we are not in this custom. Every year on Qingming Festival, July 15th, Spring Festival, and anniversary, there will be descendants going to pay homage.