During the Qingming Festival, a netizen in Yunnan, China, discovered a notice of outstanding fees posted on the tombstone of a relative while paying respects at the grave, sparking heated discussions among netizens. Many expressed their frustration, saying “Life is exhausting, even in death one cannot find peace.”
According to information circulating online, a netizen from Yunnan posted that they found a notice of outstanding fees on the tombstone while performing ancestral rites. The notice stated that if management fees were not paid within six months, actions would be taken according to Article 20 of the “Management Regulations,” with the signature of Kunming Jinbaoshan Artistic Garden, but without an official stamp or specific date.
Public records show that the “Yunnan Province Public Cemetery Management Regulations” stipulate that cemetery units are responsible for greening, maintenance, and repairs of the cemetery area. It also specifies that the maximum period for using a grave site is not to exceed 50 years, and management fees are paid annually. If fees are not paid for three consecutive years, the grave site can be dealt with as an “ownerless grave.”
According to a report by Xiaoxiang Morning News on April 6th, staff from Jinbaoshan Artistic Garden responded by stating that management fees cover expenses for greening, sanitation, and security, and can be paid in a lump sum or installments. Regarding the practice of posting notices, they mentioned that usually family members are contacted by phone first, and if contact information is unavailable, reminders are posted at the cemetery, with the fees being payable retroactively from the date of the outstanding debt.
In response to the incident, Fu Jian, director of the Henan Zejin Law Firm, stated that according to relevant regulations, once a grave site is deemed an “ownerless grave,” its usage rights will be terminated, and the cemetery management can make alternative arrangements in accordance with the law.
The incident has sparked discussions online, with some netizens saying, “It feels like even after you’re gone, you’re still being consumed”; “Every possible way to make money, expected or unexpected”; “Seems like the days of money being spent after death are long gone”; “The funeral industry is truly profitable”; “Is the fee paid to the state shared with the entire nation?”
Some questioned, “Can’t afford to live, can’t afford to die either”; “Life is exhausting, not even in death can one find peace”; “So the underworld properties and the properties in the living world… they’re in cahoots!”
There are also concerns expressed about the subsequent handling of ownerless graves, such as “What happens if there are no descendants to pay the fees?”; “Will they be cleared out?” “For those without descendants or relatives, do they have to dig up the grave and dispose of the body?”
“Maybe it’s better to just buy a small second-hand apartment for a low price and live there instead.”