"China's Biggest Wedding": Chinese Orphan Xu Chenghong Invites Strangers to Wedding
- Xu Chenghong, a 24-year-old orphan from Yunnan province, posted an open wedding invitation on Douyin after realising he had almost no family to invite
- Strangers from across China travelled to his village, bringing gifts ranging from live cows and roses to a used Audi, with 40 volunteer chefs feeding the crowd
- The video of Xu's story moved people around the world, with viewers calling it one of the most heartwarming things they had ever seen
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Instagram
Xu Chenghong grew up with almost nobody. By the time he was seven, his father was gone, his mother had remarried and moved on, and his grandmother, the woman who raised him and his older brother, had passed away. He left school early and worked construction jobs and delivery routes until he had saved enough to propose to the woman he loved, Chuichui.
But when the couple sat down to write their guest list, they barely had enough names to fill three tables.
A Douyin post that changed everything
Rather than quietly accept a near-empty venue, Xu posted a video on Douyin on 25 October 2026, inviting the entire internet to his wedding in Yiliang County, Zhaotong, in Yunnan province. The response was unlike anything he could have imagined.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
By the time the wedding banquet took place on 31 October 2026, an estimated 10,000 strangers had made their way to his rural village. Guests arrived from Hong Kong, Chongqing, and Sichuan. Nobody came empty-handed. Attendees brought live ducks, two cows, a truck bed of apples, a refrigerator, 9,999 roses, a used Audi, and even a Maybach arranged by supporters.
A village that rose to the occasion
The celebration quickly outgrew its original plans. Local authorities relocated the event to a larger public space as crowds swelled. China Mobile brought in extra 5G stations to handle the demand. Workers upgraded streetlights along roads that had never had them before. A wedding planner from Hunan volunteered her time to help organise the venue, and 40 chefs from across the country came together to prepare the Liu Shui Xi, a traditional flowing water banquet, for the thousands of guests.
The boy who had spent his life with almost no one to celebrate him was suddenly surrounded by a nation's worth of family.
Watch the video that captured Xu Chenghong's incredible wedding story:
The world reacts to Xu's story
People across the globe were deeply moved after the video was shared by Instagrammer @ur.chinese.unc on Instagram:
@lisavetaccessories.ng wrote:
"This made me cry 🥹. Will the wedding be live-streamed? I want to join the celebrations online."
@beddingsnbeyond said:
"A good day to cry for a total stranger. I love when humans are human! ❤️❤️❤️"
@favorof3 shared:
"May this couple feel the love and abundance of the day every day. Sending love and hugs from America."
@kaurismaticated wrote:
"Humanity is still alive that too in bunches!!! 🤍🥹"
@berylbswagger said:
"This is the true definition of IT TAKES A VILLAGE 😍"
@andilencube added:
"When the internet actually works 🙌🏿"
@meso_blex wrote:
"I'm literally bawling my eyes out right now. 😭😭😭"
More on weddings and newlyweds
- Briefly News recently reported on how Irish Olympian Ciara Mageean died at 34, just weeks after marrying her partner Thomas Moran.
- A South African couple’s Home Affairs wedding went viral on TikTok after the officiant’s unusual delivery of the vows left them struggling to keep a straight face.
- Vasti Spiller shared an angelic blue dress photo from her Santorini honeymoon, weeks after marrying UFC champion Dricus du Plessis.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
