Since the majority of Chinese people have long held traditional beliefs that work related to the dead may bring bad luck, there has been a tendency, especially for college graduates, to avoid this type of work.

"Prior to 1998, single persons did not apply for work here," commented one senior employee in one of Beijing's funeral parlors. He added that, as is customary in the industry, his father handed this job down to him.

Recently, however, the industry has been undergoing changes. Several universities in central China's Hunan Province have begun to offer courses on funeral services. Many college students, including those from prestigious universities such as Peking University and the People's University, have been attracted by opportunities in the industry.

Some experts say that funeral services have improved and become more profitable in recent years.

The funeral service industry in Beijing has begun providing new cremation bone-ash burial services, for example, burial under a tree or burial at sea, to make the industry more environment friendly.

In addition, a 24-hour hotline was set up in 2000 by the Beijing Funeral Service Center. Through a simple phone call, individuals can seek assistance for all funeral arrangements.

In an effort to offer more options to clients, funeral parlors in Beijing are now offering the use of luxury cars, such as Cadillacs, as hearses at a cost of approximately 2,000 yuan (about241 US dollars).

Beijing's funeral service industry is expected to earn some 1 billion yuan (about 120.48 million US dollars) in profits annually, as about 70,000 people die each year in the city.

(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2002)