Lanzhou witnesses another tomb-sweeping peak

With April 5, Tomb Sweeping Day, approaching, Lanzhou, the capital of Northwest China’s Gansu province, witnessed another sacrificial peak on March 30, which involved about 150,000 citizens, Western Economic Daily reported.

Lanzhou Funeral Parlor and its five cemetery areas received nearly 60,000 visitors, which resulted in traffic congestion on some roads. More than 70 percent of the people expressed grief over their dead relatives by laying flowers, others burned paper offerings in special areas, and still others wrote letters to the dead in a "space-time mailbox”.

In addition, Hanjiaping Cemetery in Qilihe district received more than 40,000 tomb-sweeping visitors and about 8,000 vehicles entered the cemetery. To prevent fire hazards and traffic accidents, local staff strengthened their patrols and gave out guidance.

According to the authorities in Qilihe, one-way traffic control has been introduced at peak hours –upwards on Yanjiaping Slope and downwards on Hanjiahe Slope. People have been asked to climb the mountains on foot and to avoid peak hours.

Edited by Brian Salter