Chinese and Korean churches and community groups now buy half of the 2,000 plots sold every year at Washington Memorial Park in Mount Sinai, on Long Island, which was founded as a Jewish cemetery in 1928 and later became nonsectarian. A Chinese garden is planned next, with a waterfall, stone benches, bamboo and lotus. Many of these Chinese immigrants say that they are not just investing in a future home, but ensuring the prosperity and happiness of their descendants. According to Chinese beliefs, a good burial spot is a symbol of eternal fortune for a family. Conversely, a bad burial spot can mean only misfortune.
Some Chinese families hire feng shui practitioners to select just the right spot.
If the feng shui is off, so is the sale. Many families want to face east, toward their ancestors, while others insist on a southern exposure because it is said to be warmer and more comfortable. Larger plots are preferable to smaller ones, and proximity to oceans, rivers and lakes is always a selling point. The dead and the living all want the same things. Like any real estate deal, there are consequences for choosing the wrong location.