The first national database that includes information on the about 2,000 bodies of unidentified people has helped one household find a deceased family member. Zhang Dayong, a physically challenged citizen, who established the database is being praised for his extraordinary work, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

Any active person in society today needs certificates of all kinds to prove his/her identity and provide information on his/her family and residence.

But many Chinese people still live without an ID card or are unwilling to reveal personal information for a variety of reasons. The problem is that when such people fall victims to accidents or even die a natural death, their bodies remain unclaimed.

Though civil administration departments have taken measures to deal with the problem of anonymous bodies, most of the time, it is difficult for them to find relatives who would claim a body.

It may appear nearly impossible to locate the family of a vagrant or "homeless" person who dies and send his/her body to his/her relatives. But every person deserves respect even after death. Fortunately, Zhang's database has not only raised hopes of sending such people's bodies to their families, but also made it possible and feasible to do so.

Despite being physically challenged, Zhang has managed to do something beyond the capability of even normal people. That's why Zhang deserves all the more respect.

(China Daily 09/28/2011 page9)