A funeral in northeastern China has drawn widespread attention and criticism after a luxury Mercedes-Benz was buried as part of a traditional burial ritual, prompting questions over legality, environmental damage and extravagant displays of wealth.
The incident took place in a village in Liaoyang on April 9, where a viral video showed mourners gathering for the funeral of an elderly man. Reports said the deceased was a wealthy collector of luxury cars, and his family chose to bury a real vehicle alongside him as a symbolic offering for the afterlife.
The vehicle, a black Mercedes-Benz S450L reportedly worth around 1.1 million yuan (about US$161,000), was seen wrapped in red cloth with a “8888” licence plate, a number widely considered auspicious in Chinese culture and associated with prosperity.
Footage circulating online showed villagers using an excavator to lower the car into a freshly dug grave beside the tombstone, before mourners helped cover it with soil as part of the ceremony. Some participants were also seen assisting in the burial process using shovels.
Family members later reportedly held a banquet and distributed cash gifts to those who helped, while offering no detailed explanation for why a real vehicle was used instead of traditional paper offerings commonly burned during funerals.
The unusual practice quickly triggered backlash on social media, where many users criticised the act as wasteful and environmentally harmful. Others pointed out that burying an untreated vehicle could lead to soil and groundwater contamination, raising concerns over ecological safety.
Legal experts cited in local media noted that failing to properly scrap or deregister a vehicle may constitute a violation of regulations, and in certain cases could result in administrative penalties. Questions were also raised over whether the number plate had been properly registered.
Authorities from the local civil affairs bureau later confirmed that the family, surnamed Jin, had been reprimanded for what was described as an illegal burial linked to superstitious practices. The family has since issued a public apology.
Officials also indicated that the family may face fines and be required to cover the cost of excavating the vehicle, clearing the site and carrying out environmental restoration work.
The case has gone viral across Chinese social media platforms, sparking debate over modern funerary customs, wealth display and environmental responsibility in traditional rituals.
