Luo Xiaomao Maozi: Influencer's ashes stolen from crematorium for 'ghost wedding'
Before she died, the 25-year-old, who went by the name Luo Xiaomao Maozi, said that trolls on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, had encouraged her to do so. The Chinese influencer's friend said that while the influencer was trying to cope with the breakup with her ex-boyfriend, she did not intend to die by ingesting the pesticide. Zi allegedly tried to get her ex's attention.
Social media platforms must also recognize their responsibilities to their users' and creators' well-being. Zi had previously spoken publicly about her mental health concerns online and during the Livestream, there was a steady debate in the comments section, with some encouraging her to stop, while others egged her on. "How could it have gone unnoticed? Why aren't there procedures in place to screen for self-harm triggers and behaviors in real-time?" her friend said according to SheThePeople.
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In October, her body was cremated in a rural area of Shandong province, where she was born. However, it was revealed last week that her ashes were stolen by crematorium employees, who offered them to an unconnected family for a ghost wedding. In rural China, a ghost wedding is a rite in which one or both deceased parties are married in a ceremony, according to an ancient custom supposed to provide peace to the dead in the afterlife. According to Beijing News, three guys who worked at the crematorium have been apprehended after attempting to sell the ashes to a family.
The ashes might be valued up to £8200, according to the report, but the wife of one of the suspects, Zhang, said the arrangement fell through. “Fundamentally it was just to make a little a bit of money and wasn’t a big thing but it’s only because people rush to make it a big deal that it’s become an issue,” she said to Beijing News.
The event is still being investigated by the police. Ghost Weddings are customarily held when a marriage ceremony is postponed owing to the unexpected death of either the bride or groom.
Families also buy or steal the bodies of unmarried people if their offspring die alone. The tradition dates back over 3,000 years, and believers believe it ensures that the unmarried deceased are not left alone in the hereafter. The bride and groom's funeral plaque, as well as dinner, are usually included in the wedding "ceremony."
