Kunming Cemetery Posts Notices on Tombstones to Collect Management Fees, Sparking Debate in China
A cemetery in Kunming, China, "Jinbaoshan Art Garden," sparked controversy by posting overdue notices on tombstones to collect management fees from families. Cemetery staff stated that fees cover landscaping, cleaning, and security, and notices are posted only after failed phone contact. According to Yunnan Province regulations, graves with unpaid fees for three consecutive years, after notification, will be treated as "ownerless graves."
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- 📰 Published: April 6, 2026 at 19:21
- 🔍 Collected: April 6, 2026 at 23:28 (4h 7m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 12:33 (205h 4m after Collected)
According to Chinese media reports, including Jimu News, a Chinese netizen in Kunming uploaded a short video on the 5th showing that when he visited the "Jinbaoshan Art Garden" cemetery in Kunming to pay respects to his ancestors, he was shocked to find an overdue notice posted on the tombstone.
According to the footage, the overdue notice stated, "Your relative's plot management fee is overdue, and your contact information has changed, making it impossible to contact you." It requested families to "promptly contact the cemetery to complete the renewal of management fees. If the management fee is not paid within 6 months, it will be handled according to Article 20 of the 'Yunnan Province Cemetery Management Regulations' regarding grave maintenance fees."
However, this overdue notice did not bear the official seal of the management unit, unlike many official announcements and documents in China.
The report pointed out that according to the "Yunnan Province Cemetery Management Regulations," management fees are to be paid by the grave lessee either in a lump sum or annually. If those who pay annually fail to pay for three consecutive years, and after the cemetery unit sends a letter or publishes an announcement, if the fees are still not paid within three months, the grave will be treated as an "ownerless grave."
According to reports, in response to public questioning about the method of "posting notices on tombstones to collect fees" from the deceased's families, cemetery staff stated that management fees are mainly used for landscaping, cleaning, and security, and can be paid either in a lump sum or in installments. If fees are overdue, the cemetery usually contacts the family by phone first, and "only if contact cannot be made will a notice be posted," and subsequent payment is acceptable.
Many Chinese netizens questioned that many young and middle-aged people are only children and unmarried, so the deceased may not have descendants, leading to the dilemma of no one paying cemetery management fees. Cemetery staff responded that they have not yet encountered such a situation.
Other netizens commented that the method of posting notices to collect fees is "too unethical," as the deceased should be respected, and posting notices "shames both the ancestors and their descendants"; some also questioned if there couldn't be a more appropriate way to collect fees; but some netizens also believed that the person who filmed the video also had a problem, as not paying overdue fees is also disrespectful to the ancestors. (Edited by Chiu Kuo-chiang/Chen Yen-chun) 1150406
According to the footage, the overdue notice stated, "Your relative's plot management fee is overdue, and your contact information has changed, making it impossible to contact you." It requested families to "promptly contact the cemetery to complete the renewal of management fees. If the management fee is not paid within 6 months, it will be handled according to Article 20 of the 'Yunnan Province Cemetery Management Regulations' regarding grave maintenance fees."
However, this overdue notice did not bear the official seal of the management unit, unlike many official announcements and documents in China.
The report pointed out that according to the "Yunnan Province Cemetery Management Regulations," management fees are to be paid by the grave lessee either in a lump sum or annually. If those who pay annually fail to pay for three consecutive years, and after the cemetery unit sends a letter or publishes an announcement, if the fees are still not paid within three months, the grave will be treated as an "ownerless grave."
According to reports, in response to public questioning about the method of "posting notices on tombstones to collect fees" from the deceased's families, cemetery staff stated that management fees are mainly used for landscaping, cleaning, and security, and can be paid either in a lump sum or in installments. If fees are overdue, the cemetery usually contacts the family by phone first, and "only if contact cannot be made will a notice be posted," and subsequent payment is acceptable.
Many Chinese netizens questioned that many young and middle-aged people are only children and unmarried, so the deceased may not have descendants, leading to the dilemma of no one paying cemetery management fees. Cemetery staff responded that they have not yet encountered such a situation.
Other netizens commented that the method of posting notices to collect fees is "too unethical," as the deceased should be respected, and posting notices "shames both the ancestors and their descendants"; some also questioned if there couldn't be a more appropriate way to collect fees; but some netizens also believed that the person who filmed the video also had a problem, as not paying overdue fees is also disrespectful to the ancestors. (Edited by Chiu Kuo-chiang/Chen Yen-chun) 1150406
FAQ
Why did the Kunming cemetery post overdue notices on tombstones?
Cemetery staff stated that management fees are mainly used for landscaping, cleaning, and security. If fees are overdue, they first try to contact families by phone, and only if contact cannot be made will a notice be posted.
According to the "Yunnan Province Cemetery Management Regulations," under what circumstances will a grave be treated as an "ownerless grave"?
If those who pay annually fail to pay for three consecutive years, and after the cemetery unit sends a letter or publishes an announcement, if the fees are still not paid within three months, the grave will be treated as an "ownerless grave."