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Chinese social media was recently rocked by the controversial story of a
man who sued his stepson after divorcing his mother, asking for
compensation for raising him.
Only a few months after divorcing his wife, a Chongqing man surnamed
Tang reportedly took his stepson Liu to court, asking for 35,200 yuan
(approximately $5,285) as compensation for the money spent on raising
him during the marriage. Tang reportedly married Liu’s mother in 2009
when the boy was 10 years old and helped raise him until 2021, when the
woman filed for divorce. About three months after the separation, Tang
filed a lawsuit against his stepson, asking for over 30,000 yuan as
compensation for living expenses.
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The peculiar legal dispute sparked outrage among the millions who
watched a video of the trial on Chinese Twitter-like platform, Sina
Weibo. Most of those who commented accused Tang of taking revenge on his
stepson after his marriage failed, and never really caring for him as a
parent should.
“Tang started helping raise Liu once he married Liu’s mother. Now Tang
wants his money back, this sounds more like a fit of pique after his
marriage failed,” one person wrote.
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“Even after raising the kid for 10 years, it doesn’t seem like he ever
treated him like a son. That’s so sad,” another person commented.
Some wondered if, by Tang’s logic, it would be reasonable for his
ex-wife to demand compensation for the psychological suffering she
probably endured during their marriage.
Luckily, last month, a local court in Chongqing denied Tang’s request,
ruling that the expenses he was seeking compensation for had been paid
voluntarily.
“Tang chose to support Liu, despite knowing he didn’t have a legal
responsibility to pay for his university study as Liu had reached 18
years of age,” the presiding court judge said. “In China, children are
legally adults once 18, and parents are no longer expected to cover
their living expenses.”
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