In the last 21 years, 35,000 square meters of burial land and 10,000 square meters of stone have been saved in Shanghai, thanks for sea burials, according to the latest land area of graves, Jiefang Daily reported.

Since March 19, 1991, the first sea burial in Shanghai, the city has organized 188 sea burial ceremonies, and bereaved families scattered the ashes of 23,455 deceased at sea. Ashes being scattered at sea has increased by 8 percent on average, said the paper.

More families are choosing to rent small boats for themselves to scatter the ashes of their loved ones, and 10 families did that last year in Shanghai.

As sea burials gain more popularity, people living near Shanghai are also beginning to participate in sea burial ceremonies.