Background: The major suicide method in rural China today is ingestion of agricultural pesticides.

Aim: This study is to investigate the characteristics of Chinese rural young suicides who died of pesticide ingestion.

Methods: A sample of 392 suicides from rural China was studied using the psychological autopsy method, and data were analysed for demographic characteristics, the suicide method used, mental disorder and psychological characteristics.

Results: Suicides by pesticide ingestion were enacted more because of impulsiveness and tended to demonstrate less mental illness than those suicides using other means in rural China.

Conclusions: Accessibility, high toxicity and lethality of the pesticides were risk factors for the suicides of people without a mental disorder in rural China. The use of pesticides is a rational choice and the safe storage of these kinds of farming chemicals should be controlled to prevent certain suicides.