The hospice of Chaoyangmen Hospital was established in 1992 and was the first such facility in Beijing. Recently relocated to a new and larger building, it has evolved not only as a center for palliative care but also as a place where the serious medical needs of the elderly are addressed. The success of Chaoyangmen hospice, as well as of more than 150 similar institutions across China, is complicated by unique cultural obstacles and emerging demographic trends that offer challenges to this nascent movement. Fortunately, the Chinese government is currently implementing a massive and ongoing upgrade of citizen access to social security and quality healthcare. This analysis suggests that it would be logical to include hospice services in this upgrade. It also points to potential cultural sensitivities that may have implications for hospices in the United States as they have an opportunity to serve more and more individuals of Chinese heritage.