A Chinese elderly man diagnosed with cancer hired workers to dig his grave and tried to kill himself by cutting his wrist in it, Chinese media reported.

The 79-year-old was in stable condition after being found and rescued by villagers last Saturday. A video footage that went viral online showed that he was sitting inside a tub placed in a pit dug in the ground.

He reportedly lived in Beijing with his son and only returned to their hometown in Hunan province recently to plan for his own suicide and funeral, after his health condition continued to worsen.

The cancer patient climbed inside the grave, which he previously hired workers to dig, and tried to kill himself by cutting his wrist with a small knife. He wanted to end his life to avoid being a burden to his wife and children, according to media reports.

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