Taiwanese Man's Unclaimed Body Lingers in Xiamen After Son Refuses to Handle Funeral Due to 23-Year Estrangement

A poignant story unfolds as a father's final wishes are unmet, highlighting the complexities of family ties and cross-strait relations.

A 57-year-old man, identified by the surname Song, passed away alone in Xiamen, China, on the 8th of the month. However, his son in Taiwan has refused to claim the body, citing a 23-year period of no contact. As a result, Mr. Song's remains are currently being preserved at a Xiamen funeral home, unable to be returned to Taiwan for burial.

Friends have come forward to share a different perspective on Mr. Song's life, suggesting he was not an irresponsible father. They revealed that from 2005 onwards, he consistently sent tens of thousands of New Taiwan Dollars monthly as child support until recently stopping due to personal reasons. Furthermore, he reportedly never remarried and was sometimes seen shedding tears while looking at old family photos of himself, his ex-wife, and his son.

Chang Xue-ru, Chairperson of the "Happy Paradise Foundation," an organization that assists with funeral arrangements for individuals without means, stated that the foundation was informed of Mr. Song's solitary death in Xiamen on the 14th. They subsequently contacted his ex-wife and son. The son, however, explicitly stated his unwillingness to handle the funeral arrangements or sign any authorization documents.

Due to current regulations governing cross-strait affairs, only direct relatives can sign the necessary documents to decide on cremation, repatriation to Taiwan, or local burial. Consequently, neither the foundation nor Mr. Song's friends have been able to proceed with the arrangements.

Ms. Chang shared that photographs sent by Mr. Song's friends in mainland China depicted his bedside adorned with family portraits of him, his ex-wife, and his son. He also cherished cartoon caricatures of the family and childhood photos of his son, indicating that his family remained deeply important to him, despite the irreparable distance.

Friends recounted that Mr. Song would sometimes weep over these photographs and had previously sent living and educational expenses to his son. However, contact was lost with his son and ex-wife later on. According to reports, friends emphasized that Mr. Song was not an irresponsible father. From 2005, he almost monthly remitted between tens of thousands and 50,000 New Taiwan Dollars to his ex-wife and son for their support and education until he ceased these payments in recent years due to personal circumstances.

These friends also mentioned that Mr. Song had not remarried. Although friends encouraged him to return to Taiwan, he felt he had no social circle there, as his parents had passed away, leading him to continue living alone. Friends described Mr. Song as a tall, distinguished-looking man who had served in the honor guard of the Army. After his military service, he worked as a stock analyst before moving to mainland China to specialize in trading stocks from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. He was known for his generosity and loyalty to his friends.