BEIJING: Two 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.
The two foreigners mistakenly thought the funeral banquet was a trendy restaurant because of the festive red lanterns and the large crowd.
Tired from their journey and hoping to get a meal, they asked in broken Chinese: “Can we eat here?”
A local man, surnamed Li, 45, who later treated the two foreign visitors, recalled that at the time, his neighbour was holding a funeral for a 104-year-old elder.
“I told them it was a funeral for a 104-year-old and unfortunately the main meal had already finished, and they would have to wait until 5pm for food,” Li told the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
However, possibly due to his imperfect English, the two initially misunderstood him, thinking he meant that the elderly person was 104 years old and in poor health.
Li added that they had never visited the village before, so he decided to take them to a hilltop monument overlooking the community.
When it reached 3pm and nearby restaurants were still closed, Li decided to invite the two visitors to his home for a meal.
His father, a former chef, learned they had foreign guests and specially prepared non-spicy home-made dishes, including braised pork, fried eggs, and stir-fried carrots.
“They said they usually do not eat pork belly, but that day they finished the entire dish,” Li recalled.
Before leaving, the three exchanged contact information. After Ludwig posted a video of his experience online, it quickly went viral, amassing over one million views.
The video also sparked lively online discussion.
One person said: “Best episode yet. So cool that this man is 42 and has literally never seen a foreigner in his village and you guys were still able to communicate just enough to become real friends.”
While another said: “In China, funerals actually work the opposite way, even if you are not invited, you are still expected to show up to pay respect. So he really knows the rules.” - South China Morning Post
