Dead wrong as China scams uncovered at funeral homes

A major scandal has erupted in China from beyond the grave. Even the dead are suffering the scourge of corruption, despite President Xi Jinping’s decade-long crackdown on graft. 

On Wednesday, state media reported the depth and scale of illegal practices perpetrated by funeral homes across the country, including the “harvesting of body parts.”

Investigations span at least eight provinces and also involve illicit fees and the unauthorized construction and operation of cemeteries.

“The misconduct of these flies, [or corrupt low-ranking officials], not only directly affects people’s lives but also undermines Chinese tradition,” Zhu Lijia, of the Chinese Academy of Governance, told state-controlled Global Times.

Corruption in this sector undermines the credibility of the Party.

Peng Xinlin at Beijing Normal University

Social media storm:

• Online outrage followed when The Paper, a state-backed media outlet, broke the news earlier this week.
• It revealed the illegal harvesting, theft, and resale of thousands of corpses by a Chinese company.
• Since then, the ruling Communist Party has launched investigations into Anhui, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces.

Delve deeper: “While officials in funeral management may not have significant authority, corruption in this sector undermines the credibility of the Party,” Peng Xinlin at Beijing Normal University said as reported by China Daily.

Between the lines: “[It also tarnishes the government], disrupts public order and erodes social norms,” Peng added.

Big picture: Xi first launched his anti-corruption campaign in 2012 to tighten his grip at the top of the Party pyramid. It has since touched every aspect of life in China, from the banking industry to the nation’s nuclear forces. 

China Factor comment: The latest scandal illustrates the deep-rooted corruption not only inside the Communist Party but society itself.