In the heart of Beijing’s Sanlitun—better known for cocktails and collabs than coffins—a new funeral shop called GuiCong (归葱) just opened its doors, and it’s already flipping the script on how China grieves.

Designed by a former furniture designer, GuiCong doesn’t look like anything you’d expect. No grim signage. No sterile lighting. Instead: airy interiors, minimalist displays, and a vibe that feels more like a lifestyle concept store than a mortuary.

Inside, you’ll find elegant urns, tastefully designed paper offerings, and a space called the “Heaven Post Office,” where visitors can write letters to departed loved ones. There’s also an “Emotion Chamber”—a private booth stocked with tissues, aromatherapy, and ambient music, built to make space for a good cry.

And people are actually stopping in. According to the founder, 40% of visitors are passersby who walk in out of curiosity. By placing death squarely in the middle of a high-traffic commercial area, GuiCong is trying to normalize the topic—and maybe even spark a cultural shift in how we approach loss and mourning.

It’s a bold, oddly comforting reminder: death is part of life, and maybe it’s time we gave it better design.

All images via Xiaohongshu.