If you’ve ever attended a Chinese wedding, you’d probably heard of the traditional nuptial ceremony 婚闹 (hun nao), where pranks would be played on either the newlywed couples or bridesmaids.
Initially designed as a way to create a fun atmosphere and expel evil spirits, this practice has unfortunately devolved into humiliating or life-threatening scenarios.
Tossed into the air with bedsheet
According to South China Morning Post, a court in Ruyang county, in China’s Henan province recently released its verdict on a case which saw a bridesmaid being grievously injured due to the wedding hazing.
On Oct 4, 2023, the bridesmaid named Zhang attended her friend’s wedding and found herself being dragged onto a bed by one of the groomsman, who suggested tossing her into the air using a bedsheet.
Zhang was then tossed into the air twice, with the group successfully catching her in the first attempt but failing in the second attempt.
Although Zhang’s aunt pleaded with the group to stop, they reportedly ignored her.
Fractured back & lawsuit
Zhang was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found she had a lumbar vertebral fracture and hospitalised her for 18 days.
In 2024, she was assessed as having a level nine disability by a forensic judicial institution.
Zhang sued the newlyweds and nine participants and sought 270,000 yuan (RM163,000) in compensation.
The court eventually ruled in her favour and ordered all the defendants to pay a total of 230,000 yuan (RM139,000), with 40% being borne by the newlyweds as they had failed to stop the hazing.
As for the groomsmen who suggested the prank, he was ordered to pay 50,000 yuan (RM30,000), while the remaining eight were held jointly liable.
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