"Please Attend My Grandmother's Funeral; She Had No Friends"... Granddaughter's Appeal Moves Many

Chinese Granddaughter Requests Funeral Attendance on SNS
Dozens of Citizens and Tourists Attend Despite Severe Weather

In China, a story has gone viral after a granddaughter posted a request on social networking services (SNS) for people to attend her 90-year-old grandmother's funeral.

On January 9 (local time), the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a woman in Northeast China posted a message on SNS on December 22 last year, which was shared widely and led dozens of people to attend the funeral. In her post, the woman wrote, "My grandmother has passed away. Please see her off at a blessing funeral (Xisang)."

In China, a "Xisang" refers to a funeral held when someone over the age of 80 passes away. It is seen as the completion of a blessed life, and the ceremony is typically brighter and more celebratory than a regular funeral. There is a widespread belief that inviting many people to attend is a duty owed to the deceased.

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The granddaughter wrote, "I was raised by my introverted grandmother. She grew up in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, and had very few friends," adding, "If you come to the funeral, you will become my friend." She also mentioned, "I will provide transportation expenses and gifts."

She continued, "If you ever need errands run, like walking your dog, I will do my best to help," and added, "For those who have time, I will treat you to lunch, and for those who are busy, I will offer shopping vouchers as a token of appreciation."

The post spread quickly online, and despite heavy snow and traffic congestion, dozens of citizens and tourists attended the funeral held at the Donghuayuan Center on the morning of December 23 last year.

Yan, a local resident, said she took a taxi for 40 minutes to reach the funeral and found that more than 30 people had already arrived. She said, "Snow was falling from the sky, and it felt as if the heavens themselves were seeing off the grandmother. It was truly an honorable funeral."

Ye, a tourist visiting from Zhejiang Province, also commented, "So many people came to see off the grandmother-she must have been very happy."

This story has attracted significant attention on Chinese SNS, with one platform recording 1.3 billion views for related posts.