China woman quits teaching to sell coffins to Europe, generating US$6 million sales annually

2026-02-16 - 08:08

In China, death is traditionally seen as a taboo and often tied to bad luck. But in Heze, a city in eastern China’s Shandong province, this cultural barrier has given rise to a booming industry. According to Personage magazine, Lisa Liu, 29, from Heze was once a teacher. Exhausted and hoarse from the pressure of work, Liu switched careers in July 2023. After a chance interview, she went into coffin sales, focusing on the European market, particularly Italy. Her boss took her on a tour of the...