Social Media Digest

Embracing mortality

What happens after you leave this world? Nowadays, more and more young people are contemplating how to handle their affairs after death.

A 32-year-old first aid trainer shared her experience of creating a will with the China Will Registration Center, a public welfare project initiated by the China Aging Development Foundation.

At first, her parents saw drafting a will at such a young age as a bad omen. However, she convinced them by explaining how it can prevent unnecessary disputes and troubles. "Chinese families are often reluctant to discuss death, but I believe it's important to sit down and talk about how we should face it," she told the tech news platform Huxiu.

She also mentioned that while regular wills typically address only property distribution, the center offers the additional service of "future mail" — letters to be delivered with the will in case of her passing. She admitted that she cried while writing it, saying, "I asked my dad to listen to my mom and take his medication on time."

Another young netizen who drafted a will raised the issue of virtual property, such as social media accounts. She made a list of her accounts and passwords, specifying in her will that her partner would assume responsibility for them if she passes. "The process of writing a will is actually a way of sorting through the most important people in your life," she told Huxiu.