The annual Qingming (or tomb-sweeping) Festival is all about honoring deceased relatives, right? Well that’s what we thought too, but it turns out that in Beijing a growing number of people use the day to pay homage to their late four-legged friends.
And here we thought pooches in Beijing couldn't possibly be pampered any more, considering their fancy outfits and gourmet treats. Well, it appears that in Beijing these furry little guys receive the royal treatment, even in the afterlife. Hence, the abundance of pet cemeteries in and around the city.
In case you haven’t noticed, pets are kind of a big deal in Beijing. It’s not uncommon to see them carted around in baby carriages or wearing cutesy little dresses and suits. I mean Wang Sicong even bought his dog two, two Apple Watches.
But why do pet owners in Beijing tend to treat their dogs so lavishly, even in death? Owning pets, especially dogs, has become a pretty big trend in recent years. Having a pet was once banned by Chairman Mao for being to bougie, so to speak. Actually, possessing a pet dog was illegal in China until the 1980s. Mao would probably roll over in his grave if he knew this, but pets are now a huge status symbol in China. And pet owners are often viewed as financially successful. Regardless, people love their pets, in life and in death. And they are most definitely not afraid to show it.
The pet cemetery industry has boomed in Beijing in recent years. Not only do pet owners flock to these cemeteries to pay tribute to their beloved furry companions during the Qingming Festival but they pay a hefty price to do so. Pet owners have been known to fork out up to RMB5,000 to lease a plot for 30 years and RMB20,000 for a headstone, Reuters reports.
Being a pet dog in Beijing seems like a pretty good gig to us.
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