Tanghulu Vendor Who Lost Son to Cancer Sees Sales Surge 15-Fold—Here's Why

[The Financial News] After the story of a street snack vendor in China who lost his son to cancer and now has to support his young grandchildren alone became known, citizens lined up to buy from him.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 29th, a video showing a long line in front of a Tanghulu stall near the China University of Petroleum (East China) in Shandong Province, eastern China, has gone viral online. Citizens visited the stall to help Mr. Tian, the vendor who recently lost his 36-year-old son to liver cancer.
Mr. Tian's son was diagnosed with terminal cancer last September. The family went into debt to pay for treatment, but ultimately could not save him. The deceased left behind three young children, aged four to seven, and parents in their nineties. Mr. Tian's wife also runs a grilled sausage stall, but she has not fully recovered from an arm fracture sustained in a previous accident.
The story became known after a nearby vendor posted about it online. As students from the university shared the story, a queue stretching dozens of meters formed in front of the stall.
Mr. Tian sells Tanghulu—fresh fruits such as hawthorn berries and strawberries coated in sugar syrup—for 4 to 5 yuan (about 800 to 1,000 won) each. Students purchased 30 to 40 sticks at a time to share with friends or paid 1,000 yuan (about 200,000 won) for just four skewers to support him. A separate chatroom was even created for placing orders.
People from other regions also drove in to help Mr. Tian. Some transferred hundreds of yuan via payment codes without buying anything, while others left daily necessities and children's clothing. Neighboring vendors helped him make Tanghulu as well.
One citizen who visited said, "I just want to offer a small gesture so that the grandfather can live his life with warmth and strength going forward."
Mr. Tian reported that his daily income, which was usually around 200 yuan (about 40,000 won), has soared to 3,000 yuan (about 610,000 won). Expressing gratitude for the donations, he told China National Radio, "I will raise the children well and teach them to study hard. When they grow up, I will share these stories of kindness so they can give back to society."
hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter