「死後」走好：「逝者之家」亦是「家」，不是「垃圾場」｜A “Good Goodbye”: Creating Restful Homes for the Deceased, Not Wastelands
系列一的「生前」好走中，吉人吉事研究並分析了臨終患者面臨的困境以及如何過好人生最後一程。系列二的「死後」走好，將帶大家直面死後會發生什麼事，逝者又該如何「走好」。人們平日一般都不會主動談死，更不會談到殯葬，現代人亦不了解殯葬，是否每個人都曾思考過自己死後要葬在哪裡，假若人真的有靈魂，又要在哪裡讓它留存？或許每個人都要好好了解殯葬服務，才能預先做好選擇，讓家人心安。
殯葬服務已然成為一種商業 –從「死後服務」擴大到「生前契約」
眾所周知，土葬一直是公認的傳統殯葬方式，而如今卻愈來愈不流行，尤其是在寸金寸土的香港，分配給殯葬的用地越來越少，土地資源緊缺帶來土地價格的攀升，傳統土葬的費用已遠遠超過大多數家庭的負擔能力。取而代之的則是火葬，而火葬又分為兩種：一種是骨灰安放在龕場、另一種是讓骨灰歸於自然。在香港，約有超過九成的逝者使用前者方式下葬，也就是火葬後置於骨灰龕場，然而事實是，許多香港市民曾將先人骨灰存放在長生店最長達四年或醫院殮房之冷藏庫等候半個月才得以排隊火化，抑或不得不購買高達一百萬的私營骨灰龕位。另有報導稱，港人為尋求價格更低的墓地，導致澳門及大陸的公墓費水漲船高。儘管香港政府從二零一六年起暫停市民申請公營龕位長達三年以增加龕位，但以目前香港死亡人口的增長趨勢來看，預計未來仍供不應求。
正如二零二四年最賣座的「破地獄」中所展示的那樣，香港的殯儀服務有多元的包裝，以及漫天開價的一條龍服務，包括與保險集團合作推出可分期付款的「簡約之旅」、「傳統之旅」及「升級告別之旅」等等，減輕家人經濟負擔；不止香港，在美國，殯儀公司強調的是培養員工的溝通技巧；在澳洲強調的是創意，不同花式的靈車、不同風格的靈堂設計，由音樂到膳食都可為客戶度身訂造 [1]；在台灣，亦有根據宗教信仰不同，進行個人化服務。全球範圍內，殯葬服務顯然已成為一種「生意」，除了需針對殯葬機構實施嚴格的規管架構外，亦需積極應對日益增長的下葬需求問題，如若連殯葬用地等設施都不足，逝者又該如何「走好」？
港府「軟硬兼施」，積極推動「綠色殯葬」取代傳統殯葬
港府亦為應對下葬需求問題制定了三大策略，包括增加公眾骨灰龕位供應；實施私營骨灰安置所的規管架構，藉以推動業界持續發展；及推廣綠色殯葬。前兩個主要由政府指引，而「綠色殯葬」旨在回應土地資源的有限性及環境的可持續性，是一種更環保的骨灰處理方式，其他地區如內地和台灣亦有「自然葬」、「環保葬」等說法，目前在港普及度仍不是很高。
對此，香港政府雙管齊下，改善軟硬件，積極推動「綠色殯葬」。硬件方面，香港的「綠色殯葬」主要分為「自然花園葬」及「海葬」，目前香港食物環境衛生署（食環署）已設有十三個紀念花園及三個指定海域供市民撒放先人骨灰，分布於香港、九龍、新界及離島。除此之外，市民亦可到非政府機構和宗教團體轄下的私營墳場內的紀念花園撒放骨灰。而軟件方面，食環署於二零一九年推出綠色殯葬中央登記名冊，方便市民預先登記殯葬意願，近期更引進電子悼念設施完善綠色殯葬服務。不僅如此，政府近五年亦有開始努力推廣公眾教育，例如食環署與非牟利組織合作舉辦以綠色殯葬為主題的「盂蘭虛擬跑」活動，引導參加者進入紀念花園了解綠色殯葬設施，改變公眾對殯葬安排的觀念。
然而，據最新數據統計，截止二零二三年底，仍有超過八成逝者選擇將骨灰放置龕位中，僅有兩成逝者預先登記殯葬意願，甚至已離世的登記人士中，其骨灰以綠色殯葬方式處理的呈下降趨勢 [2] ，可見港府的「綠色殯葬」推動策略並未出現顯著成效。反觀台灣，其「綠色殯葬」使用率高達四成，也就是說，平均每十名逝者就有約四位使用「綠色殯葬」，情況與香港相似的台北市，土地資源也十分有限，數據顯示其「綠色殯葬」使用率也高達三成以上。
在香港，「死亡」仍是禁忌話題？「墳場」=「負面空間」？逝者又該如何「走好」
在香港，比較常見的是山上密密麻麻且毫無生機的墳場，就像被遺忘的城市灰色地帶。除此之外，「綠色殯葬」提供的十三個充滿自然綠植的紀念花園試圖改變「墳場」在港人心中的形象，分別分布於屯門曾咀、哥連臣角、鑽石山、和合石、富山、葵涌、長洲、坪洲及南丫島。儘管有研究發現，香港社會對談論和處理死亡的忌諱上變得愈來愈開放 [3]，目前仍有大部分市民反對居所附近有與死亡相關的設施，例如殯儀館、墳場及骨灰龕場等等，導致大多數墳場都被排擠於「城市邊緣」。但處理喪事絕不同於處理垃圾，亦不應該看待「逝者之家」為人們都想避而遠之的「垃圾場」。
試問，如若全港七百萬市民都視墳場為負面空間，那在「地少人多」的香港，又該如何安放逝者？近年，香港立法會議員為提升「綠色殯葬」使用率，多次建議在郊野公園或是城市綠化地帶興建紀念花園 [4]，由此可見，已有政策引導「墳場」成為城市中的「積極空間」的趨勢，「逝者之家」不應只是被摒棄的城市邊緣「灰色地帶」。
此時此刻，面向公眾的「生死教育」尤為重要，當公眾積極談生死，不再視「墳場」為「負面空間」，逝者才能真正「走好」。試問，市民能在何處「談生死」，又在何處受到教育？除了傳統學校，教育能否在墳場發生？或城市中的創意文化角落？又或是社區中心？……
下篇的吉人吉事將用實際案例展示這些潛在的「場所」如何鼓勵人們談生死，擁抱城市中的「逝者之家」，讓逝者「走好」，同時照料逝者至親。
In the first two articles of this series, "Saying Goodbye," we explored the challenges faced by terminally ill patients and how to make their final days more meaningful. Now, in this second series, "Good Goodbye," we confront what happens after death and how the deceased can be given a dignified farewell. Conversations about death are often taboo, and discussions surrounding funerals or burial arrangements are even rarer. Modern society knows surprisingly little about funeral practices. Have we ever truly considered where we want to rest after passing? If souls exist, where might they linger? Understanding funeral services is essential for making informed decisions and easing the burden on loved ones.
Funeral Services: From "After-Death Care" to "Pre-Death Contracts"
For centuries, traditional burial was the standard funeral practice. However, it is becoming increasingly uncommon, especially in densely populated cities like Hong Kong, where land is a scarce and expensive resource. The rising cost of land has pushed traditional burial beyond the financial reach of most families. Instead, cremation has become the dominant choice, with two main options: storing ashes in a columbarium or returning them to nature. In Hong Kong, over 90% of the deceased are cremated and placed in columbariums.
However, the reality is far from ideal. Many Hong Kong families have had to store their loved ones’ ashes in temporary facilities, such as private coffin stores (長生店), sometimes for as long as four years. Others have faced long waits—up to two weeks—for cremation, with remains stored in hospital morgues during the interim. For those seeking a private columbarium, costs can soar to over 1 million Hong Kong dollars. This has even driven residents to seek cheaper burial options in Macau or mainland China, causing grave plot prices there to rise as well.
Although the Hong Kong government paused public columbarium applications for three years starting in 2016 to address the shortage, demand continues to outpace supply. With an aging population and increasing death rates, the pressure on burial facilities is likely to intensify in the coming years.
The Funeral Industry Becoming a Business of Creativity and Customisation
As depicted in 2024’s box-office hit "The Last Dance" (《破地獄》), Hong Kong’s funeral services have become highly commercialised. Funeral providers now offer package deals, often in collaboration with insurance companies, featuring options like installment payment plans for packages such as the “Simple Farewell”(「簡約之旅」), “Traditional Send-Off” (「傳統之旅」) and “Upgraded Goodbye” (「升級告別之旅」). These options aim to reduce the financial strain on grieving families.
This trend is not unique to Hong Kong. In the United States, funeral homes emphasise employee training in communication and empathy. In Australia, creativity takes center stage, with options for customised hearses, personalised funeral designs, and tailored music and catering services. [1] Meanwhile, in Taiwan, funeral arrangements often reflect the deceased’s religious beliefs, offering highly personalised services.
Globally, funeral services have clearly evolved into a thriving industry. This growth underscores the need for stricter regulations on funeral providers to ensure fair practices and quality. At the same time, governments must address the increasing demand for burial facilities. Without adequate land and resources for the deceased, how can we ensure that the deceased is given the dignity of a peaceful final journey?
Hong Kong’s Push for “Green Burial” – A Shift Away from Traditional Practices
To address the growing demand for burial spaces, the Hong Kong government has adopted three main strategies: increasing the supply of public columbarium niches, regulating private columbarium operators to ensure sustainable development, and promoting “green burial” options. While the first two strategies are primarily government-led, green burial is aimed at tackling the challenges of limited land and environmental sustainability. It offers an eco-friendlier alternative to traditional burial practices, similar to “natural burial” or “eco-burial” options seen in mainland China and Taiwan. However, green burial remains relatively less popular in Hong Kong.
The government has implemented both hardware and software improvements to promote green burial. In terms of hardware, Hong Kong offers two main types of green burial: “Garden of Remembrance” burials (「自然花園葬」) and “sea burials” (「海葬」). The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has established 13 memorial gardens and designated three coastal areas for scattering ashes, located across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and outlying islands. Private cemeteries managed by NGOs and religious organisations also offer similar facilities.
In terms of software, the FEHD introduced the “Green Burial Central Register” in 2019, allowing individuals to pre-register their burial preferences. More recently, electronic memorial services have been added to enhance green burial options. Additionally, public education campaigns have been ramped up over the past five years. For instance, the FEHD collaborated with non-profit organisations to host a “Hungry Ghost Festival Virtual Run” (「盂蘭虛擬跑」), where participants visited memorial gardens to learn about green burial facilities, aiming to change public perceptions of funerals and death.
Despite these efforts, recent statistics reveal that more than 80% of the deceased in Hong Kong still opt for columbarium niches, with only 20% pre-registering burial preferences. Notably, the use of green burial methods among those who pre-registered has even declined [2]. In contrast, Taiwan has seen much higher adoption rates, with 40% of the deceased using green burial options—equivalent to four out of every ten deceased individuals. Even in Taipei, where land scarcity mirrors Hong Kong’s situation, green burial adoption exceeds 30%.
Cultural Taboo: Is Death Still a Forbidden Topic in Hong Kong?
In Hong Kong, traditional cemeteries often appear as dense, lifeless structures clinging to hillsides—facilities that are frequently described as “forgotten gray zones” of the city. By contrast, the government’s 13 memorial gardens, filled with greenery, aim to reshape the perception of cemeteries. These gardens are distributed across locations such as Tuen Mun, Diamond Hill, Wo Hop Shek, and Cheung Chau, offering a serene and natural environment for ash scattering.
While studies suggest that Hong Kong’s population is becoming more open to discussing death [3], many residents still oppose the presence of death-related facilities, such as funeral homes, cemeteries, and columbariums, near their homes. This has relegated most burial sites to the fringes of urban areas, further reinforcing the view of cemeteries as unwelcome spaces. However, dealing with death should never be equated with managing waste, and “homes for the deceased” should not be treated as dumping grounds to be avoided at all costs.
Reimagining Cemeteries as Positive Urban Spaces
If Hong Kong’s 7 million residents continue to view cemeteries as negative spaces, how can the city, with its limited land, accommodate the deceased? In recent years, some legislators have proposed building memorial gardens in country parks or urban green spaces to increase the adoption of green burial [4]. These proposals reflect a growing trend toward transforming cemeteries into “positive spaces” within the city, rather than isolating them as “gray zones” on the periphery.
Public education on life and death is crucial at this juncture. When society embraces open discussions about death and stops viewing cemeteries as negative spaces, the deceased can truly rest in peace. But where can these conversations take place? Can education about life and death happen outside traditional schools—in cemeteries, creative cultural venues, or community centers?
In the next installment, we will explore real-life examples of how these potential spaces can encourage open discussions about life and death. By embracing the concept of cemeteries as “homes for the deceased,” we can ensure dignity for the departed while also supporting their loved ones.
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