The social chaos in China continues to make headlines, with a recent incident at a funeral in Liaoyang, Liaoning Province drawing attention. A Mercedes-Benz car with the license plate number 8888 was buried as part of the funeral procession in the Gongchangling District. After the incident came to light, authorities deemed it illegal and the car was later excavated, sparking heated discussions on the internet.
On April 9th, a video titled “Mercedes-Benz S450L as Part of a Funeral” went viral online.
The video shows a black Mercedes-Benz car covered with red cloth being slowly lifted by an excavator next to a newly constructed tombstone in Liaoyang, Liaoning. A group of people then pushed the car into a giant grave that had been dug beforehand, burying the vehicle in the soil.
It was reported that the car was a black Mercedes-Benz S450L, a high-end luxury sedan with a price range between 900,000 to 1.1 million RMB. The license plate number of the car was “Liao K8888B,” a coveted plate in Liaoning that can be privately transferred for tens of thousands of RMB higher than regular license plates.
According to witnesses at the scene, after the funeral, during a thank-you banquet, a male family member expressed gratitude to everyone and offered a 500 RMB red envelope to each helper.
On April 10th, the government of Gongchangling District in Liaoyang announced that the individual responsible, Mr. Jin, illegally buried the vehicle. According to reports, the car was excavated on the same day it was buried, on April 9th.
Chinese netizens have been actively discussing the incident, with comments such as: “Is burying a million-dollar luxury car a way to honor the deceased or a show for the living?” “This is outrageous. Where did they get so much money from? We should check if the source of income is legitimate.” “Using a car as part of the funeral procession could cause heavy metal pollution in the soil and damage underground water.”
Some users on social media platforms shared their opinions, stating, “This is a car that ordinary people may never be able to afford in their lifetime, yet it ended up as a burial item. It’s truly wasteful.” “As the saying goes, you can’t take it with you when you die. No matter how valuable something is, it’s all left behind once buried. Instead of such extravagance, it would be more meaningful to leave something for future generations or perform charitable deeds.” “We can’t understand the world of the wealthy (emphasis on the first word).”