Corruption in China's funeral services: Body theft and illegal implants uncovered

According to reports from Chinese state media, authorities in the country have exposed extensive and long-standing corruption cases in the funeral services sector. The Radio Free Asia website reports that the prosecution is also investigating reports of the theft of thousands of bodies and their sale for the production of bone implants.

Since the beginning of this year, disciplinary inspection supervisors in at least eight provinces in China have reported investigative proceedings involving both funeral home managers and officials responsible for funeral services. This information was reported by the state newspaper "China Daily."

The newspaper notes that "many people under investigation have extensive experience in the industry." For example, it cites the general manager of one funeral home in Dazhou in Sichuan province, where "investigations were initiated against 89 people, and six of them were detained."

The government tabloid Global Times also reports that anti-corruption campaigns in the provinces of Anhui, Liaoning, and Jilin have revealed the collection of illegal fees and bribes among funeral home employees and the establishment and operation of cemeteries without permits.

However, the Radio Free Asia (RFA) website highlights that "Chinese censors are suppressing social media publications related to reports of a macabre body trade" by a company involved in the production of medical implants.

According to RFA, the Ministry of Public Security has launched an investigation into the "theft, desecration, or deliberate destruction of human remains" by the firm Shanxi Osteorad Biomaterial Co. (RFA uses the name Shanxi Aorui, which is a transliteration of the Chinese name).

The case came to light on 6 August when Chinese lawyer Yi Shenghua revealed evidence on social media indicating the illegal purchase of human remains and limbs as raw materials for the production of implants by this company.

Government-affiliated websites like ThePaper and Caixin initially reported the topic, but some publications are currently unavailable.

RFA, citing one of ThePaper's articles, writes that the company Shanxi Aorui was accused of illegally purchasing human remains from the provinces of Sichuan, Guangxi, Shandong, and other locations to process them into bone grafts worth €51 million from January 2015 to July 2023.

"During the probe, investigators seized over 18 tonnes of human bones and 34,077 finished products," reported RFA.

"To cover up the illegal source of bone materials from corpses, (the company's director) commissioned several people to forge voluntary donor registration forms and inspection reports," reads an article from ThePaper, seen by PAP before its removal.

Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post," citing case documents and Chinese media reports, revealed the macabre actions of crematorium workers connected to this scheme in three provinces, who roughly dismembered bodies to transport them to one of the suspect's companies for further processing.

"SCMP" notes that the documents also stated that more than 75 suspects were detained during the investigation.

Quoted by the "Global Times," Prof. Zhu Lijia from the Chinese Academy of Governance, commenting on corruption in the funeral industry, assessed that "the misconduct of these "flies," or corrupt low-ranking officials, not only directly affects people’s lives but also undermines Chinese tradition."

He added, "Chinese people pay great respect to the deceased, therefore the corruption in the funeral industry harms public interests and the social custom"