Kong Shang (aka Sing Kong)

In Waikumete Cemetery lies the grave of Kong Shang who died at the young age of 36 in 1891. Kong, however, is no longer buried here as his remains were exhumed, to be sent back to China in accordance with Chinese burial rites. The custom of the Chinese at home is to disinter bodies after seven years and place the main bones in a large jar alongside the grave. It is in order to forward the bones to China for relatives to do this that the exhuming and exporting of remains took place.

With an air of what would appear to us today, more than a century later, as Victorian-Edwardian Gothic horror dripping from his words, a reporter from the Auckland Star on 29th September 1902 wrote:

“Time, 5.30am, on a bitterly cold morning in Waikumete Cemetery. Half-frozen, a pressman and a photographer attached to the staff of the “Graphic” make their way from the sexton’s house to the furthermost corner of the cemetery, where is situated the section for Chinese and Atheists and aliens unprovided for elsewhere. A noise of hammering comes from the sections, which is a good half-mile from the Anglican and Presbyterian allotments, and on arrival work found to be in full operation”

After an altercation between the workers and the Sexton (the workers being wary of the photographer), work resumes.

“By ten o’clock four graves are opened, but owing to the non-arrival of some solder and zinc from Auckland it is decided to open only two coffins on this occasion. The first of these contained the corpse of one Kong Shang, who died in 1891, a young Celestial of 36.”

It was thought that there would be nothing but dry bones, but as the article goes on to say, in graphic detail, the white clay is evidently a preservative and this is not the case. The bones are cleaned, stacked, dried, wrapped up and docketed by a methodical old gentleman. The next body is treated the same way.

The remains removed from Waikumete Cemetery that day ended up among the between 499-584 (numbers quoted vary) zinc coffins loaded onto the ship “Ventnor” for the journey home to China, most of the others being exhumed from the South Island and Wellington. This was the second wave of exhumation of Chinese remains from New Zealand cemeteries around New Zealand, the first being over the course of late 1882 to early 1883 and organised by the Cheong Shing Tong Society, a benevolent organisation. Roughly translated, Cheong Shing Tong means "Splendid Goodness Society" and as of 2002 this society still existed in Wellington.

Ventnor life boats on the beach.
Sir George Grey Special Collections, 
Auckland Libraries, 1142-D366' 

According to New Zealand Shipwrecks (2007) the Ventnor left Wellington at 9.30am on 27th October 1902, struck a rock near Opunake the next day and sank the day after that off the Hokianga Heads, claiming 13 lives including that of the captain. A canvas bag of bones was found washed up on Ninety Miles Beach in the far north and this was sent to China as the only remains, the rest of the cargo was not recovered. Sometime later some coffins were rumoured to have floated ashore and to have been buried by the local iwi.

The story of the ill-fated second great journey of the Chinese dead from New Zealand to China in 1902 is forever linked to the history of Mitimiti Beach, in Northland.


Public Burial A, Row 1, Plot 82

Sources: Papers Past - Auckland Star 29th September 1902
New Zealand Shipwrecks (2007)
Paul Gittins - Epitaph
Image: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1142-D366

Compiled by Geri Eccles - Discover Waikumete