PUBLISHED ONMay 17, 2022 11:07 AMByKhoo Yi-HangThe idea of scattering a loved one's ashes into a garden may sound taboo to some Singaporeans.
Chinese tradition, for example, requires that the deceased's ashes have to be returned to their birthplaces and either buried or have their ashes preserved for future generations to pay respects to and receive blessings from, reported a New York Times article in 2015.
The Catholic Church guidelines also said that Catholics cannot scatter ashes, although on a different basis: they believe in the resurrection of the body, thus the body should remain intact, The Straits Times mentioned in a 2017 article.
Despite green funerals being hard to swallow for some families and religions, more Singaporeans are embracing this idea of scattering their loved ones' ashes, Lianhe Zaobao reported today (May 17).
Green funeral site, the Garden of Peace, located near the Choa Chu Kang Columbarium, introduced an eco-friendlier way to deal with one's remains through ash-scattering last May.
Since then, there have been over 1,300 requests for this ash-scattering option, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).
For Cai Yasui, she told the Chinese daily that the different religious beliefs among her children were a factor in her decision in scattering her husband's ashes this way at the Garden of Peace.
What she misses is the spirit of her loved ones — it isn't necessary to keep the ashes with her, Cai said.
Whenever she misses her husband, she would go to the Garden for a walk, she added.
Her son Shen Hongbin, 42, told Zaobao: "Our parents often do good deeds, reminding us to give back to society, and now my father's ashes are also returning to the earth."
Li Yehui, 84, a Christian, is also set on having his ashes scattered at the Garden of Peace upon his passing.
"Of late, I've attended a lot of funerals, and now that I've seen [ash-scattering at the Garden of Peace], I won't be superstitious or avoid it," Li said in an interview with Zaobao.
"Now the times are different," Li explained. "You can sprinkle the ashes in the soil and you can plant flowers and trees for people to appreciate."
In an interview with The Straits Times last year, Venerable Shi You Guang, general affairs chairman of the Singapore Buddhist Federation said: "Inland ash scattering is a pragmatic alternative supporting bereaved families who wish to have a green and logistically friendly manner towards closure after completing their loved one's journey."
Zheng Haichuan, head of Direct Funeral Services, told Zaobao that half of the funeral requests he received were for the Garden of Peace.
Similarly, Li Kuiming of Lee Teoh Heng Undertaker services said that although many couldn't accept it at the start, that opinion was gradually shifting.
"Some young people will also take their elders to visit the Garden of Peace to prepare them psychologically," Li said.
According to the NEA, the Garden of Peace disallows religious ceremonies or commemorative items within garden premises to ensure the cleanliness and serenity of the environment.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
