Stella Wang

Too Broke to Die responds to Beijing’s burial crisis, where cemetery plots cost around £14,000—far more than the city’s median annual income of £2,000. With no new cemeteries allowed and cremation mandated, families face limited, costly options. Traditional burials are fading, leaving many unable to afford a respectful farewell. Our project reimagines remembrance by drawing on Beijing’s cultural roots. Most cemeteries lie far from the city, requiring 1.5 hours of travel each way. Yet Chinese tradition values burial in the earth for peace in the afterlife. People are forced to choose between high costs and abandoning these beliefs. 

Our pilot, Gui Chen Ci Tang (归尘瓷堂), transforms a Cold War shelter into an underground cemetery. “Ci” means both porcelain and farewell; “Ci Tang” refers to ancestral halls. The space is shaped like a cave, with mountain and water elements inspired by traditional grave aesthetics. 

Ashes are turned into bone china tiles to help fund the site, potentially making services free for families. These objects offer a lasting, tangible way to grieve and remember. 

Too Broke to Die proposes a new, dignified, and affordable way to honour the dead in a city running out of space to mourn. 

A project co-directed with Weiyi Liu

Collaborators:

Mr.Huang , 3D Animation Specialist 

Mr.Guo, Bone China Specialist 

Mr.Zhao, Babaoshan Cemetery Manager 

Ms. Mao, Insurance Specialist from Taikang Insurance