A woman tosses chrysanthemums into the sea in Dapeng Bay in eastern Shenzhen yesterday as a tribute to her deceased family member during the city’s 53rd sea burial ceremony. According to the municipal civil affairs bureau, the ashes of 704 deceased individuals will be scattered at sea during the three-day event, which runs through Friday. Sea burial, recognized as a space-saving and eco-friendly burial alternative, has been practiced in Shenzhen since its introduction in 1999. To date, ashes of more than 40,000 deceased people have been committed to the sea, saving significant land resources for burial purposes while substantially easing financial burdens on the public. Liu Xudong