BEIJING: A delivery company in central China has sparked controversy by introducing a range of services including kneeling and kowtowing to replace in-person family visits during the Spring Festival.
On Feb 9, UU Paotui, based in Henan province, launched a time-limited service on its app, offering three packages for customers to send Lunar New Year greetings.
The first option includes the purchase and hanging of couplets and the Fu character, along with basic door cleaning which costs 39 yuan (US$6) for one hour.
The second includes gift-buying, delivering short blessings and collecting laisee from elders, which is priced at 199 yuan (US$30) for two hours. Couriers transfer the received amounts to the customer.
The third most eye-catching option combines the first two, adds a one-minute auspicious blessing and includes the traditional kowtow ceremony for elders.
Priced at 999 yuan (US$145) for two hours, it also allows customers to remotely watch the ritual live via video streaming.
As of writing, the app shows 175 orders have been placed for the services, which are available nationwide and can be ordered like a delivery of food.
Couriers coordinate with customers to finalise details such as addresses, gifts and blessings content.
The couriers are only responsible for the physical tasks, additional costs like gifts, travel and parking being borne by the customer.
The company emphasises the services are aimed at people who are unable to return home for the Spring Festival holiday.
One employee told the mainland media outlet Jimu News: “This is not a short-term marketing stunt; it is about creating a warm emotional connection.”
A representative also insisted that the kowtow service is not a replacement for personal companionship but an alternative way to express respect.
Kowtowing, a traditional Chinese gesture involving kneeling with the forehead touching the ground, dates back to the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BCE).
It was further emphasised during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE), when subjects would kneel before the emperor.
While it remains a sign of gratitude towards parents or teachers, it can also be viewed negatively in some modern contexts and has been linked to submission or flattery.
A courier surnamed Wang told the media that on the first day of the Lunar New Year he had been assigned to deliver greetings to a client’s parents. The client requested that he dress neatly.
Wang said that while he had not received an order for the kowtowing service, he would welcome it.
“Earning money by kowtowing and kneeling is not embarrassing. We make money through our labour,” he said.
The services have sparked a debate on mainland social media.
One supporter viewed them as unique, thoughtful and interesting for those unable to go home due to work.
However, another netizen said: “Filial piety should not be commercialised. Kneeling and kowtowing are deeply personal, tied to identity, and reflect both family bonds and individual dignity.”
“These services will only make family ties more superficial,” said a third.
Meanwhile, people like Wang Yanhua from Henan in central China provide similar services, helping people working away from home fulfil their filial duties.
Wang delivers meals, buys daily necessities and sends blessings to elders, with each service costing just 10 yuan (US$1.50), Dafeng News reported.
On Feb 11, UU Paotui removed the controversial kowtow service from its platform, leaving only the couplet hanging, gift buying and greeting services available.
This is not the first time the company has ventured into emotional services.
UU Paotui previously made headlines for offering a tomb-sweeping service during the Ching Ming Festival last year.
Some high-end packages, including video recordings and cemetery cleaning, cost up to 4,999 yuan (US$720). - South China Morning Post/ANN
