Caring for the living

The change in mindset has had certain effects. In Taosheng village, part of Nanchang, Jiangxi province, Xiong Houzi and 300 others boarded a bus to the cemetery, each smartly dressed and carrying flowers.

The scene stood in sharp contrast to several years ago, when villagers burned sacrifices, usually made of paper.

"We wore our worst clothes, for fear that the fire and smoke would stain or even damage our clothing," Xiong said. Now, after mourning they go hiking, he added.

Li Xiangyuan, the Party chief of Quanzi community in Linyi, Shandong province, said: "Burning paper TVs and cars does no good for the deceased. If you're a good child, take good care of your parents when they are alive."