Divorce of celebrities sparks talk about state of modern marriage in China
The public has latched on to news that actor Wang Baoqiang is leaving his wife over alleged infidelity. The reasons for the saga’s popularity are many
The story most talked about on the Chinese mainland this week doesn’t deal with politics, the economy or the Rio Olympics, but the divorce of a leading actor.
On his microblog on Saturday, Wang Baoqiang, a migrant worker-turned actor, accused his wife Ma Rong of having an affair with his agent Song Zhe, and vowed to divorce her. Ma hit back at Wang afterwards, saying he had infringed upon her reputation.
Divorce in China’s world of celebrities is common and doesn’t carry much shock value. Occasionally, news of a break-up among celebrity couples, such as of singer Faye Wong and actor Li Yapeng three years ago, causes a buzz on mainland social media.
Celebrity power couple Faye Wong, Li Yapeng divorce after eight years of marriage
Cao Sanxing, a professor at the Communication University of China, said it was to be expected that Wang’s divorce drew the public. “It’s normal that people are interested in stars’ personal life,” Cao said.
The differences in the cultural level mean they do not have a common language in their relationship
But discussion among mainlanders has gone beyond gossip of cheating to how fragile marriage can be in modern Chinese society. About 3.84 million couples reportedly divorced last year.