A woman in China’s Shandong province exposed her husband’s 16-year-long extramarital affair during a deeply emotional moment, her father-in-law’s funeral. The woman, surnamed Shang, noticed a stranger, dressed in mourning clothes and weeping beside the coffin, claiming to be the family’s daughter-in-law. Suspicious, she later discovered that the woman, Wen, was her husband’s long-time mistress according to a post by South China Morning Post.

Husband Claimed to Be a Trucker, Lived Double Life

Shang had been married to her husband, Wang, for 19 years. Wang met Wen during the third year of their marriage. He deceived his wife by saying he was away on long-haul trucking assignments, while in reality, he was living with Wen in another city. Together, they had a son, and neighbors believed they were husband and wife, although they never legally married.

The affair unraveled in June 2022 during the funeral, when Wen’s emotional display raised red flags for Shang. Wen had introduced herself as the “daughter-in-law” and mourned beside Shang, acting as if she belonged to the family. Confronted by Shang, Wang gave evasive responses, prompting her to seek legal action.

Court Declares Bigamy, Sentences Man to Prison

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Wang had signed hospital documents as Wen’s husband and lived with her as if legally married. Although Wang argued that he and Wen had no formal marriage registration, the court ruled that his actions constituted bigamy under Chinese law, which mandates monogamy. He was sentenced to one year in prison, and his appeal was rejected.

“However, the court ruled that Wang had effectively entered into a common-law marriage with Wen while still legally married to Shang, constituting bigamy,” the report highlighted, adding that Wang was sentenced to one year in prison, and his subsequent appeal was also rejected by the court.

Public Outrage and Legal Ramifications

The case went viral on mainland Chinese social media, gaining millions of views and sparking debate. Many users criticized the leniency of Wang’s punishment. Under Chinese law, bigamy is a serious offense and may result in up to two years of imprisonment. A legal spouse is also entitled to seek emotional and material compensation during divorce proceedings.

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