University Student and English Teacher Ordered to Divorce by Shanghai Court after Flash Marriage

University Student and English Teacher Ordered to Divorce by Shanghai Court after Flash Marriage
Sep 06, 2016 Translated by eChinacities.com

Editor’s Note: A foreign man and Chinese woman were ordered to divorce by a Shanghai court. They had gotten married after only two weeks of knowing each other, and there were signs that the man had coerced or harassed the young woman into marriage.

A Chinese woman and foreign man were ordered to divorce by a court in Hongkou, Shanghai after her parents claimed that they had married without properly getting to know each other. The young woman, a university sophomore named Xiao Yun, had met the man on an online dating site and met with him hoping to improve her English. They married after two weeks of meeting, and were soon ordered to divorce.  

Let’s Practice English
Xiao Yun studies engineering at a well-known university in Shanghai, but hoped to take an interpretation course her junior year. In early December, Xiao Yun met Kevin on an online dating site. Kevin claimed to work as an English teacher at a tutoring center, and said that he was willing to be friends with Xiao Yun to help her practice her spoken English. Xiao Yun was overjoyed and agreed to meet up with Kevin on Christmas Eve at People’s Square.

Xiao Yun and Kevin met and chatted in English. Kevin was very personable, and Xiao Yun put any doubts she had away and agreed to have dinner with him that night. Kevin then invited her over to his house and she was happy to go home with him. They drank wine and slept together that night.

Boyfriend or Stalker?
The next day Xiao Yun returned to school. Kevin began to call her constantly and ask her to marry him. He would also show up at her university and look for her. Xiao Yun felt that he was distracting her from her studies, and she did not want her teachers and classmates to know what had happened between them. After two weeks, Xiao Yun secretly registered to marry Kevin without telling her parents.

They did not live together after getting married, but Kevin asked to meet Xiao Yun’s parents. Xiao Yun’s parents were surprised that their daughter had gotten married and insisted that the two divorce. Her parents were so angry that they made Kevin leave their home. Xiao Yun’s parents stated that if Kevin would not agree to a divorce, they would take the matter to court.

The Ruling
The case ended up going in trail in Hongkou, Shanghai. Xiao Yun, the plaintiff, argued that she and Kevin met online and never set up a martial relationship. She asked to be granted a divorce from the defendant. The defendant, Kevin, argued that he fell in love with Xiao Yun and that the marriage was consensual. He said that there was no coercion or deception. Kevin said that Xiao Yun was only backing out because her parents did not agree with the marriage, but he was willing to accept the court’s decision.

The Hongkou court ruled in favor of Xiao Yun and said that the plaintiff and defendant did not know each other well enough before marriage and failed to properly handle their relationship.

Source: QQ News

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Keywords: flash marriage Shanghai English teacher

7 Comments

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The-Final-Say

Another fine "bash the foreigner" article by a website meant for foreigners. Its funny how shocking something like this must be for locals around here. Almost as shocking as the price gouging that goes on daily against foreigners or that beautiful dream woman who makes a foreign man's life, gets married with him, only to disappear once "freed" with green card in places such as the U.K., Canada, and USA.

Sep 15, 2016 10:00 Report Abuse

CanadaMonkey

Wow, and my wife's family went ballistic when they thought I might NOT marry her. Times they are a changin.

Sep 12, 2016 23:30 Report Abuse

simonehohoho

yeah, trying to learn English from a dating site. She's absolutely innocent...

Sep 12, 2016 16:32 Report Abuse

machlec

lol... so much for 'did not know each other well enough' when parents are selling their daughter.. every couple now has another reason to file a divorce.. hey, im divorcing you.. i dont know you well enough

Sep 08, 2016 14:47 Report Abuse

Englteachted

this: You know nothing about China, abortion. 1st trimester, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th (post birth) So a misleading headline, check. Painting the foreigner as a bad guy with 0 evidence, check. CCP's ECC is in full effect.

Sep 06, 2016 23:22 Report Abuse

thisislyle

Just wait til it's found out she's pregnant..then they'll get married again.

Sep 06, 2016 19:16 Report Abuse

SenseiSteve

There's a solution to this in China, it's called Abortion.

Sep 09, 2016 11:33 Report Abuse