The wife of Li Yang, the mainland celebrity English language teacher behind the Crazy English learning syndicate, has filed for divorce at the Chaoyang District People's Court, citing domestic violence.
Kim Lee, an American who has three daughters with Li, said she wanted full custody of the children and to split the family's wealth, China News Service reported yesterday.
Li, one of China's most flamboyant celebrities, founded the Crazy English language training system in 1994 with an emphasis on oral practice. It has attracted about 20 million followers on the mainland.
Li's abuse of his wife, which Lee claimed had been going on for more than a decade, came to light last month when she posted photos online of her bloodied and bruised face.
Amid a barrage of criticism, Li admitted to committing domestic violence and apologised to his wife. He said in television interviews that he married Lee to be part of a cross-cultural learning environment.
He also tried to play down the issue of domestic violence, saying a lot of Chinese men beat their wives.