A funeral parlour in Guangdong, China, has faced backlash after a grieving father discovered that the “cremation urn” used for his unborn baby’s ashes was actually a stew pot resembling those used in hospitals.
Source: Jimu News
The revelation came when the father noticed the uncanny similarity between the urn and soup pots used to prepare meals at a hospital.
He reported the incident to local media, which prompted inquiries to both the funeral parlour and local authorities.
In response, authorities confirmed the issue and stated that all urns resembling stew pots had been discarded.
They pledged stricter oversight and reforms to ensure such incidents would not recur.
According to Mr Chen, the grieving father, the urn provided by the funeral parlour was given to him free of charge.
In June of this year, his wife underwent a medically advised abortion.
The doctor informed the couple that, under national regulations, funeral arrangements were required for the foetus after reaching a certain gestational age.
Overwhelmed with grief, Mr Chen entrusted the cremation to Deqing Funeral Parlour.
Unable to focus on choosing an urn, he asked the staff for a small one suitable for the situation.
The staff retrieved an urn, which later turned out to be a stew pot.
Too distraught to examine the urn closely, Mr Chen left with it after completing the necessary formalities.
While the urn itself was free, the entire funeral process cost approximately 2,000 yuan (S$370).
Still deeply heartbroken since the abortion, Mr Chen and his family had yet to hold a proper funeral for the child.
During a recent visit to the hospital, he noticed stew pots used to serve food to patients that closely resembled the urn provided by the funeral parlour.
Shocked, he took a photo of the stew pots and compared them to the urn at home, discovering that they looked identical.
Source: Jimu News
Adding to his dismay, Mr Chen found a label on the urn that read “Jia Mou Fu Stew Pot”.
Local media later verified the existence of these stew pots on shopping platforms, confirming their design matched the urn.
Source: Jimu News
Finding the situation unacceptable, Mr Chen brought his grievance to the media.
He emphasised that he was not seeking compensation but an explanation.
Additionally, he wanted to understand whether his case was an isolated incident or part of a broader issue where families were systematically offered stew pots instead of cremation urns.
On Monday (25 Nov), local media reached out to the funeral parlour involved in the incident for further information.
A staff member explained that families are allowed to bring their own urns. For those without one, the parlour provides urns free of charge.
Local authorities also confirmed that the urns were procured through proper channels and that other designs are available for families to choose from.
However, following the incident, the specific type of urn resembling a stew pot has been removed from use.
Authorities further clarified that the funeral parlour had previously been privately operated but is being brought under government management this month.
They pledged to address past shortcomings, improve operational practices, and implement stricter oversight of funeral item procurement.
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Featured image adapted from Jimu News.
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