Burial traditions run deep in Anhui

A 73-year-old tomb site chooser advocates use of public cemeteries

Unlike public cemeteries in the suburbs of big cities, burial grounds in rural areas can be small and scattered across the landscape. Usually, each belongs to just one family.

"There are always reasons why the tombs are on their current sites and why they should be arranged in a certain order," said Yuan Zhongnian, a 73-year-old who has helped rural residents in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, locate appropriate tomb sites since the late 1980s.