Where Were Bodies Buried? The Complex Transformation of Beijing’s Mortuary Space from the Perspective of the Conflict between Tradition and Modernity, 1912-1949

Abstract

The urban mortuary space is an essential part of the traditional social space of Beijing, revealing the complex modernization process during the period of the Republic of China (1912-1949). The main mortuary space of Beijing comprised Yidi (a traditional Chinese graveyard), mortuary temples, and modern cemeteries. The Beijing government failed to adapt or renovate the traditional mortuary space during this period. The Yidi and mortuary temples were mainly distributed in the outer city of Beijing; both of them were formed hundreds of years ago and provided for the immigrants, the poor, and beggars. The modern cemeteries injected new elements into the mortuary space, which also strengthened social class divisions and spatial segregation due to the price-driven graveyards and services. The traditional mortuary space quickly disappeared in the 1950s with great improvement in public hygiene. The complex process of Beijing’s mortuary space transformation reflects the modernization of Chinese cities.