Guangxi holds first sea burials   

广西首次试行海葬 百余逝者魂归大海

Beihai (ECNS) -- South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region held its first-ever ceremony for sea burials on Tuesday in Beihai city.

Altogether 101 families released the ashes of their relatives into the waves, followed by a long period of silence.

Lao Kaicun, from Taiwan, said he came to realize the last wishes of his father, who was born in Beihai and died in Taiwan.

A 60-year-old citizen named Zeng Bangde, from Yulin, said he and others think sea burials are the most environmentally friendly method of burial, and that the government is encouraging residents to do it.

Han Yuanli, head of the local civil affairs department, said those opting for burial at sea will preserve more than 333 hectares of land each year in Guangxi.

Other big cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Shenzhen have promoted sea burials since the 1990s.