Uninitiated foreign visitors stumble across celebratory gathering to mark death of 104-year-old; end up being given a slap-up meal
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenYating Yangin BeijingPublished: 2:00pm, 10 Apr 2026Two Americans travelling in China who mistook a “happy funeral” banquet in rural China for a trendy restaurant were unexpectedly given a warm welcome by the locals.
Well-known American YouTuber Ludwig Anders Ahgren, who is widely known as Ludwig, has amassed over 6.8 million followers.
Recently, he set off on a motorcycle journey across China with his friend, travelling from Guangdong province in southern China to Inner Mongolia in the north.
On the fifth day of their trip, while passing through Shaoyang in Hunan province, central China, they lost their way and accidentally entered a rural village.
There, they encountered a family holding a “happy funeral”.
A “happy funeral,” or xisang in Chinese, is a distinct tradition that celebrates the life of an elderly person who has lived to a very old age, typically 90 or more.
Unlike traditional Chinese funerals, which are solemn and filled with grief, a happy funeral serves as a celebration of a full and accomplished life, offering a more festive farewell.
