In a touching tribute to his late wife, a 62-year-old potter from Shandong province, China, created a clay urn using her ashes, fulfilling a promise to reunite with her after death. Piao Shutang and his wife, Lang Aikun, were skilled artisans in the ancient craft of xun, a traditional Chinese pottery dating back over 7,000 years. Together, they spent three decades crafting pottery, researching ancient Chinese musical instruments, and teaching children how to make and play the xun. Their relationship embodied the traditional Chinese idiom, qin se he ming, symbolizing conjugal harmony and bliss.
Tragedy struck when Lang was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and she passed away in 2023. Devastated, Piao vowed to create a lasting memorial for her and ensure their bond continued even in death. On February 5, he shared a heartfelt video on social media where he showed the urn he crafted from clay using Lang’s ashes. Piao explained that the urn was not just for her, but for him as well—his wish was to be buried alongside her so they could be together forever in the afterlife.
In the video, which served as a message to Lang, Piao said, “This is the best pottery I have ever made. What do you think?” He also made four clay flower pots and two xun instruments, one large and one small, infused with Lang’s ashes. Piao expressed his desire for their children to place the urn and instruments in their grave, hoping that, one day, someone would discover the instruments thousands of years later and play them, bringing new life to their work.
Following Lang’s passing, Piao posted several videos paying tribute to her, praising her artistic skill and calling her “the best pottery craftswoman in the world.” His emotional video went viral, garnering over 8,000 likes and 7,000 reposts. Many viewers were moved by Piao’s story, with one commenting, “True love never dies as long as there is someone who remembers you.” Another expressed admiration, saying, “So envious and moved to see true love still exists in today’s world.” Some even expressed a desire to follow in Piao’s footsteps, with one viewer sharing, “I want to have a pottery made with my own ashes after I die, and have my parents and grandparents’ ashes put in it, so we could be together forever.”
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