Restrictions aim to thin crowds on Tomb Sweeping Day

Civil affairs officials in Beijing decreed a new rule on Friday, requiring residents to make reservations before visiting mausoleums or cemeteries over the upcoming Tomb Sweeping Day holiday.

People who would like to visit graves and clear the weeds around tombs can make appointments via a WeChat account launched by the city's civil affairs bureau or make a phone call to reserve the desired day and time for a visit, said Li Quanxi, a senior official with the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau on Friday during the capital's daily media briefing on containing the coronavirus.

The channels will open to the public for reservations at 12 am on March 19, Li said. Visitors can swipe their codes at the gates to visit the graves. Those without reservations will be turned away.

All funeral departments in Beijing will also cap the number of people coming to the sites. Up to three visitors can visit each grave per day, according to the city's civil affairs bureau.

Enclosed spaces such as the Ash Hall or temporary place for storing ashes will also impose restrictions to limit crowd flow to ensure that visitors will come at certain times and in separate groups, the bureau said.

All staff members at the gravesites will wear masks, and all visitors will be required to register their identities and receive body temperature checks, it added.

Tomb Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival, will fall on April 6 this year. It is the traditional day on which people commemorate deceased family members, friends and national heroes.