Four people have been jailed in China for digging up corpses to sell as brides for traditional "ghost marriages" — where dead single men are buried with a wife for the afterlife — local reports said.
The grave robbers snatched the bodies of ten women and sold them in the traditional practice where dead women are united with bachelors to stop them wandering the afterlife alone.
It is not clear whether the bodies of the women were recovered.
Marriage is an important part of Chinese society and, while the practice is increasingly rare, it is still kept up by some families whose young adult sons pass away before having a chance to wed.
Normally it is agreed between the families of the dead, but the Xian Evening News said the group "stole female corpses and after cleaning them, fabricated medical files for the deceased and sold them for a high price".
A court in the northern province of Shaanxi sentenced the four to terms between 28 and 32 months, it said, adding they "took advantage" of the "bad tradition" of ghost marriages in parts of Shaanxi and neighbouring Shanxi province.
Citing the court, the report said the gang made a total of ¥240,000 (Dh143,000) from the sales of 10 corpses.
China's Communists attempted to stamp out some traditions such as 'ghost marriages' after taking control in 1949.
Although rare, the practice has regained popularity in recent years in some parts of China.
The practice is normally agreed between two families, but this group 'stole female corpses and after cleaning them, fabricated medical files for the deceased and sold them for a high price', according to The National.
The gang made a total £25,000 (240,000 Yuan) from the sales, according to the reports.
The court in the northern province of Shaanxi said the gang abused the 'bad tradition' of ghost marriages.
Officials have failed to eradicate the tradition and a thriving underground industry now exists in some parts of the country.
Last year, another gang of grave robbers were caught trying to sell a dead woman days after her family had already tried to use her as a ghost bride.
The woman's body was snatched and the gang of five offered the woman to another family for £3,000 before being caught.
In 2007, a man was arrested after killing and then selling six women.
He claimed that 'killing people and selling their bodies is less work than stealing them from graves.'
The ancient tradition of ghost marriages is performed for many reasons including uniting a couple who were previously engaged before one member died or to ensure a family line in continued.
Monday 4 March 2013
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/asia-pacific/china-grave-robbers-sold-dead-brides-for-ghost-marriages
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287821/Grave-robbers-dug-female-CORPSES-China-sell-ghost-brides-jailed--women-stole.html
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