Chinese court holds 3 liable after man dies following all-night drinking, mahjong session

A legal ruling in China holding three individuals liable for the death of a friend following overnight drinking and gaming has ignited widespread online discussion.Three men in Urumqi, in northwestern China, were ordered by the court to compensate their friend’s family a total of over 100,000 yuan (US$15,000), after he died partying with them all night.The man, surnamed Gao, played Mahjong with his two friends and the Mahjong parlour’s owner, from almost 9pm to 3am the next day, in October 2025.They drank together throughout the games, and another friend joined and drank with them until 6am, before Gao and his three friends moved to another place to play billiards.The group played for half an hour and left for home. Gao took a taxi, and his three friends kept him company. The drunk Gao did not realise it when the car drove past his home, so they had to walk back a little.Gao played Mahjong and drank alongside two friends and the parlour owner, while a third friend joined the drinking session later. Photo: ShutterstockAccording to public surveillance footage, Gao’s two friends, Zhao and Duan, walked with and supported him, while the third friend, Deng, paid the taxi fare.