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Controversy at the lost and found
March 31, 2010, Wednesday
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ONE Hangzhou businessman is managing to make a living by providing a recovery service for residents and tourists who lose items of value in the city. But does accepting payment for his idea fly in the face of traditional values? Ren Lingling reports.
Losing things is inevitable. But many people haven't a clue what to do when something goes missing - or when they find items lost by others.
However, in all likelihood you can get back the things you have lost in Hangzhou, because the Da Jia Lost and Found Company is there to help.
The company has sparked increasing discussions on traditional Chinese values which demand that we should return to the owner what we have picked up.
Some people think the foundation of the company is contrary to our traditional values of returning property to its owner, while some think it is likely to lead to a "win-win" situation.
Located on Baochu Road, the Da Jia Lost and Found Company was founded in 2003 by Hong Guocai, once a laid-off worker and now the company's sole employee.
Hong says his company's business is simple. He takes delivery of items lost by their owners, tracks them down by following various clues, and asks for a certain amount of remuneration in accordance with the value of the lost property.
To succeed as a business, the process requires the participation of many others. It is said that most are city sanitation workers, but also included are gardeners, scavengers and security men.
The people with such jobs have become Da Jia Lost and Found's "temporary workers."
However, some of them have taken the Da Jia idea and attempt to contact the owner themselves and ask for compensation. This has meant a gradual decline in the company's business.
The office of the Da Jia Lost and Found Company is quite small - about 10 square meters. In the office, there is only a desk, a computer, a telephone and a large bookcase against the wall.
On the shelves, there are a number of plastic baskets, which are used to hold all kinds of wallets. Hong says he made thousands of notes, on which are serial numbers, when and where the wallets were found, and other relevant information. He sorts and classifies them so that he can find the wallet he wants as quickly as possible.
Since the opening in 2003, the company has collected more than 16,000 wallets, about 70 percent of which have been claimed by their owners.
There is a sheet of paper on his desk, on which his charges are clearly marked - 60 yuan (US$8.8) for identity cards, 20-60 yuan for bank cards, 50-100 yuan for driving licenses, 10-100 yuan for wallets, 100 yuan for educational certificates and so on.
Traditionally, the lost and found was a socially beneficial organization where free help was provided. Returning money we have picked up to its owner is a traditional virtue of the Chinese people.
Morally this practice may be unacceptable, but it is not against the law.
The service is in accordance with existing laws, since the law of property provides that you have to pay storage fees and other expenses for your lost article to the one who keeps it for you.
"Since what I run is a company, picking up and giving back wallets is doing business, and all this involves cost, it is a matter of fact that I have the right to charge a fee," Hong says. "I offer on-the-spot rewards to my informants when taking wallets from them."
The lost and found company charging for the services and our traditional virtue, Hong says, are not at war with each other. In fact, he believes there is no contradiction.
"If I pick up something, I will certainly return it to its original owner. But now, it is those informants who find the lost property and hand it to my company, which is an intermediary, and try to gain a living.
"Thus, it is reasonable to charge transport costs and storage fees."
Hong provided owners of lost property with a service, and undoubtedly they could refuse to pay a fee if they refused to accept the service.
The Da Jia Lost and Found Company manages to survive, because Hangzhou is an exceptional city.
It is not only the capital of Zhejiang Province, but also one of China's major tourist attractions. As a result, the place is often crowded with tourists, and as a result there is a higher number of wallets and other items of value being lost in Hangzhou.
Address: 213 Baochu Rd
Losing things is inevitable. But many people haven't a clue what to do when something goes missing - or when they find items lost by others.
However, in all likelihood you can get back the things you have lost in Hangzhou, because the Da Jia Lost and Found Company is there to help.
The company has sparked increasing discussions on traditional Chinese values which demand that we should return to the owner what we have picked up.
Some people think the foundation of the company is contrary to our traditional values of returning property to its owner, while some think it is likely to lead to a "win-win" situation.
Located on Baochu Road, the Da Jia Lost and Found Company was founded in 2003 by Hong Guocai, once a laid-off worker and now the company's sole employee.
Hong says his company's business is simple. He takes delivery of items lost by their owners, tracks them down by following various clues, and asks for a certain amount of remuneration in accordance with the value of the lost property.
To succeed as a business, the process requires the participation of many others. It is said that most are city sanitation workers, but also included are gardeners, scavengers and security men.
The people with such jobs have become Da Jia Lost and Found's "temporary workers."
However, some of them have taken the Da Jia idea and attempt to contact the owner themselves and ask for compensation. This has meant a gradual decline in the company's business.
The office of the Da Jia Lost and Found Company is quite small - about 10 square meters. In the office, there is only a desk, a computer, a telephone and a large bookcase against the wall.
On the shelves, there are a number of plastic baskets, which are used to hold all kinds of wallets. Hong says he made thousands of notes, on which are serial numbers, when and where the wallets were found, and other relevant information. He sorts and classifies them so that he can find the wallet he wants as quickly as possible.
Since the opening in 2003, the company has collected more than 16,000 wallets, about 70 percent of which have been claimed by their owners.
There is a sheet of paper on his desk, on which his charges are clearly marked - 60 yuan (US$8.8) for identity cards, 20-60 yuan for bank cards, 50-100 yuan for driving licenses, 10-100 yuan for wallets, 100 yuan for educational certificates and so on.
Traditionally, the lost and found was a socially beneficial organization where free help was provided. Returning money we have picked up to its owner is a traditional virtue of the Chinese people.
Morally this practice may be unacceptable, but it is not against the law.
The service is in accordance with existing laws, since the law of property provides that you have to pay storage fees and other expenses for your lost article to the one who keeps it for you.
"Since what I run is a company, picking up and giving back wallets is doing business, and all this involves cost, it is a matter of fact that I have the right to charge a fee," Hong says. "I offer on-the-spot rewards to my informants when taking wallets from them."
The lost and found company charging for the services and our traditional virtue, Hong says, are not at war with each other. In fact, he believes there is no contradiction.
"If I pick up something, I will certainly return it to its original owner. But now, it is those informants who find the lost property and hand it to my company, which is an intermediary, and try to gain a living.
"Thus, it is reasonable to charge transport costs and storage fees."
Hong provided owners of lost property with a service, and undoubtedly they could refuse to pay a fee if they refused to accept the service.
The Da Jia Lost and Found Company manages to survive, because Hangzhou is an exceptional city.
It is not only the capital of Zhejiang Province, but also one of China's major tourist attractions. As a result, the place is often crowded with tourists, and as a result there is a higher number of wallets and other items of value being lost in Hangzhou.
Address: 213 Baochu Rd
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