Fuzhou, capital city of China's Fujian province, held a public memorial ceremony for families choosing sea burials for their ancestors, fj.xinhuanet.com reported on April 1.

Bone ashes from 53 deceased were scattered around the sea with 102 family members attending the ceremony, according to the local news reports.

Chinese tradition holds that the dead should be buried in the earth beside their ancestors, and people visit family tombs on the Tomb Sweeping Day, which falls on April 5 in 2015. However, a shortage of the arable land and other factors led the government to promote alternative ways of burials.

Sea-burial is one of them, but many people are not willing to let go the remains of their dead, said one of the officials from Fuzhou municipal funeral parlor.

The parlor started to organize public memorial ceremonies for those who chose sea burials for their dead relatives, he said, adding that it is a good way for them to mourn for their beloved ones.

Residents in Fuzhou can call the 24-hour hotline 968533 to consult or register if they need sea burial services, he added.

By Lu Ting from China Daily Fujian Bureau.