Local government officials in Zhao'an, Fujian Province, help local residents by providing more efficient, peopleoriented service

In big Chinese cities, traditional funeral etiquette has become simplified, with many old funeral rituals no longer practiced. Yet in the vast rural areas, the passing of a family member is still a big thing, with the bereaved wanting to show filial piety through honoring the deceased.

Before April 2013, residents in Lintou Village, Sidu Town of Zhao'an in southeast China's Fujian Province, were vexed by the absence of an appropriate place for such funerals. They thought that holding such a ceremony in open space would be offensive to people living in the vicinity, as according to superstition, a funeral in front of their homes could bring bad luck.

"Funerals not only consume manpower and material resources, but also trigger disputes between neighbors," villager Li Shundong told ChinAfrica.

Before the Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day in 2013, Li and a few other villagers went to the village petition center to request the setting of such a place. Their request was recorded. Soon, they were invited to a village officials' meeting. Two weeks later, they got a reply from the center. In the ensuing five months, abandoned old houses in the center of the village were torn down and replaced with two new houses, which were designated as venues for such farewell ceremonies.

The local officials' decision was applauded by the villagers, Li said. He noted that since September 2013, more than 20 such ceremonies had been held there, and no dispute over funerals had been reported.

Listening to the people

As an effort to improve social governance, officials in Zhao'an are required to regularly meet with local residents, listen to their opinions and help solve their problems.

Nanzhao Town, the seat of Zhao'an, is divided into 13 communities and two villages and has a population of 71,000. According to Xu Shuyi, deputy head of the town and director of its petition center, town officials take turns to come to the center to receive petitions.

"Now, the local people have more channels to voice their need," she said.

Designated staff members at the center receive petitioners or their calls in a timely matter, patiently listen to their requests, and give a reply as soon as possible, Xu said. For matters beyond the purview of the town government, petitioners should be informed of the right procedures to follow. If a petitioner is not satisfied with the solution, he or she can petition again.

Standard procedure ensures effectiveness in petition handling, said Xu. In every link of the petition-handling process, certain persons and departments are held accountable, so as to ensure that the problems reported by the public can be solved timely and effectively.

Meetings are held regularly to study the petitions and seek for solutions. The meetings are held by the county government at least once a month, by the town government once every fortnight, and by the village leadership once every 10 days, Xu said.

Service-oriented governing

With progress in petition handling comes an improvement in the work style of Zhao'an officials.

"In Zhao'an, any official, who still regards himself or herself as above others, will be out," Xu said.

In addition to the petition centers, to better serve the local people, Nanzhao has set up a one-stop service center, which makes it more convenient for residents to apply for various certifications and deal with social security and other matters. Such service centers have also been set up in the communities and villages in the town's jurisdiction.

According to Xu, it is convenient for local residents to put forward demands. "It is as easy as posting a micro-blog message," she said.

The town petition center has publicized the contact information of officials responsible for handling petitions so that they can be approached by the public at any time, even after work.

If a petitioner's problem has been addressed, he or she will be immediately informed by the center's staff members. "A follow-up call makes us feel cared for," said Li Shundong.

"In the past, when we encountered any problem, we first went to the local police station. Now, we report problems to the village center officials responsible for handling petitions," Li said. He added that the village officials help them solve problems, which save them much trouble.

Liu Huawen, Deputy Director of the Center for Human Rights Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the right to express oneself is an important component of human rights, and Zhao'an's experience should be followed.

Winning trust

Xie Tiangui, Secretary of the Sidu Town Party Committee, said that since the center came into being, residents' attitude toward it has changed from skepticism to trust.

"When the center was set up, the public doubted how many problems we can solve through such work method. After we solved some of their problems, they came to believe that we are serious," Xie said.

After serving as the director of Nanzhao's petition center for two years, Xu keenly felt the importance of listening to people and building trust. She said that careful and patient listening and frank communication do help reduce the distance with local residents, and foster trust.

Sometimes, a problem may not be solved in a short time, but through communication, a petitioner may feel half of the bitterness pent up in their heart gone, Xu said. "If the petition center is not able to solve a problem, we will help petitioners contact relevant higher-level departments."

Li Zhihong, Party Chief of Lintou Village, said that when local residents reported that a bridge to a local wharf was unsafe and hampered the village's economic development, the village leadership raised funds and had it repaired in a timely manner, and the 2-meter-wide bridge was broadened to 6 meters.

Statistics show that since 2012, governments at different levels in the county have received 7,174 petitions, and 6,026 cases have been settled.

"With a sound petition platform, locals do not have to resort to other measures for solution to their problems," Xu said.