Residents of Beijing – which is about two hours drive from the nearest coast – are being urged to carry out sea burials for deceased loved ones as part of efforts to preserve space in the over-crowded city, Chinese media reported.

Grieving relatives can also do their bit to fight the choking smog which regularly blights the Chinese capital by replacing gravestones with trees or flowers, officials have suggested.

The proposals come amid concerns that space is becoming increasingly limited in the city of almost 22 million people.

Large tombs are a sign of wealth for many in China and reflect a degree of filial piety from descendants to deceased parents - a highly-valued Confucian trait.

China has a long history of ancestor worship, and many areas still hold a traditional belief that an intact body is necessary for a peaceful afterlife.

A new Five Year Plan for the funeral sector aims to encourage families to cease renting big tombs and move their relatives remains to “more environmentally friendly resting places,” Li Hui, an official at the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau said, according to the China Daily.

“Beijing offers 4,000 yuan (£430) to families that choose sea burials for their deceased relatives,” the newspaper said.