Xu Chenghong, a 24-year-old worker from Yunnan, China, worried that a lack of close family meant his wedding would be lonely. After he posted an open invitation online on October 25, 2026, thousands of internet strangers travelled to his mountain village to celebrate with him, bringing gifts, vehicles, and food.
When Xu Chenghong posted an open invitation on Douyin, he anticipated that perhaps a dozen local residents might show up to fill out his banquet tables. Having lost his father at age three and his mother to a remarriage shortly after, followed by the death of the grandmother who raised him and his older brother, Xu grew up with almost no surviving family support. Working odd jobs in textile factories, selling cooked food, and delivering parcels, he managed to save 167,500 yuan, equivalent to US$25,200, to build a future with his partner, Luo Chui.
Fearing that an empty room would mark his marriage to the woman who stayed by his side through hardship, the 24-year-old groom asked internet users to join the celebration. The response transformed a quiet rural ceremony into a massive public gathering. Several users offered to attend, with one writing: Bro, we're on the way!!
Strangers Arrive in Yunnan With Trucks, Livestock, and a Maybach
Within days of the October 25 notice, well-wishers began driving across provincial lines to Yiliang County in Zhaotong. Vehicles bearing license plates from Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangdong, and Fujian crowded the rural roads of the mountain village. Supporters delivered refrigerators, heaters, household appliances, and live ducks, while one farmer from Sichuan contributed two cattle valued at 20,000 yuan. A wedding-industry worker drove 12 hours from Hunan Province just to decorate the home, and another benefactor provided a luxury Maybach for the bride and groom.
The scale of the arrival forced immediate logistical adjustments. By the eve of the October 31 ceremony, local hotels were entirely booked, and authorities assisted in moving the festivities to a cultural square in Luowang village. Emergency, fire, and communications crews deployed to manage the crowds, while volunteer chefs and kitchen crews worked around the clock. Head chef Jia Xionglu reported that his team consumed two tons of chicken on October 29 alone, keeping fifty cooking stations running to feed late arrivals past 2:00 AM. Cooks prepared dishes from several regions, using ingredients that visitors continued to bring, with a chef stating: Whatever the fans bring, we cook it all for everyone.
Social Media Reaction and Cultural Resonance Across China
Videos of the bustling square circulated widely online, capturing strangers dancing shoulder to shoulder and prompting widespread emotional commentary. Observers noted that the overwhelming turnout reframed the occasion entirely. For Xiao Xiao Xu, the response meant that his wedding would not be defined by the family members he had lost or the empty tables he had feared,
one report observed. “People have come all this way, and what I fear most is not letting them eat well,” he told the media.
Ok why am I crying? I love this side of humanity.
Social media commenter, via The Economic Times
While relatives and close family friends offered traditional monetary gifts registered at the entrance, a wedding organizer confirmed that online well-wishers who knew Xu only through the internet were explicitly not expected to contribute cash. Instead, visitors brought raw ingredients, cooking skills, and labor, ensuring the banquet remained a collaborative community effort.
Zhaotong Officials Consider Ticket Discounts for Visitors
Local officials are now exploring ways to sustain the momentum generated by the viral gathering. Zhaotong’s culture and tourism bureau engaged in discussions with The Paper regarding potential ticket discounts at scenic attractions for visitors who choose to extend their stay in the region, though final details remain unconfirmed.