The Despised VOC Official Left Unburied: How Qiu Zuguan's Oppressive Policies Made Him Hated Until Death

Jakarta – Colonial history holds diverse stories, including accounts of officials whose policies drew considerable criticism. One such tale concerns a VOC (Dutch East India Company) official renowned for controversy due to his frequent decisions that disregarded the interests of the common people.

Because of his policies, he was despised by the community until his death. Even after he passed away and his body lay in a coffin, not a single person was willing to accompany him.

So what was his story?

He was Qiu Zuguan. Though not as well-known as the VOC Governors-General, he held an important position as head of the Boedelkalmer, an institution responsible for managing the assets of deceased Chinese residents in Batavia (present-day Jakarta).

During that era, many Chinese residents returned to their homeland whilst taking their assets with them. Qiu’s task was to collect taxes on these assets. Additionally, he had authority over heirs and estates left behind in Jakarta.

Historian Leonard Blusse, in The Chinese Annals of Batavia (2018), documented that from his appointment in 1715, Qiu frequently caused the people to suffer through his tax policies. Nearly all activities were subject to taxation or levies.

One example was marriage. Chinese residents who wished to hold wedding ceremonies were required to pay taxes. A similar burden occurred when someone died. Families had to pay levies ostensibly for death certificates, even whilst grieving. One can imagine the suffering people endured, being financially exploited by the government through the purchase of death certificates whilst mourning their losses.

It is unsurprising that the community, particularly Chinese residents, harboured deep resentment towards Qiu. It should be noted that during the VOC era, Chinese people formed the group most frequently subjected to taxation for private purposes.

Benny G. Setiono, in Tionghoa dalam Pusaran Politik (2008), noted that they were even taxed on their heads and nails. Should they refuse payment, the consequences were fines of 25 guilders or imprisonment.

Though struggling under this burden, residents had no choice but to comply if they wished to avoid imprisonment. However, when Qiu died in July 1721, an opportunity to release their grievances finally arrived. Typically, officials or notable figures were escorted with honour to their burial. But this did not apply to Qiu. Not a single person was willing to carry his coffin.

“As a result, the coffin containing Qiu’s body was simply left in the middle of the road because no one would carry it to the grave,” wrote Leonard Blusse.

His family was bewildered. Attempts to persuade residents to escort his body were flatly rejected. Eventually, they were forced to hire local residents to carry Qiu’s coffin to his burial place. Though now interred, the bitter memory of Qiu’s oppressive policies remained deeply embedded in the people’s consciousness.