“Wuxia film mogul” Zhang Jizhong fined for disclosing ex-wife’s personal information

Caijing reported on Friday that the Beijing Internet Court ruled against Zhang, ordering him to pay 20,000 yuan (US$2,800) for mental distress, 998 yuan (US$140) for notarization fees, and 5,000 yuan (US$700) for attorney fees. He was also required to publicly apologize to Fan.

Last month, the court enforced a payment of 25,000 yuan after Zhang failed to comply with the initial ruling within the given timeframe. However, he has not yet issued an apology to his ex-wife.

The dispute originated last year when Zhang posted their divorce agreement on Weibo, revealing Fan’s date and place of birth, home address, details about their children, asset division, and other private information she wanted to keep confidential. Fan subsequently sued Zhang for privacy violation.

The couple divorced in 2016 after years of conflict, with Fan accusing Zhang of infidelity and having a mistress in the U.S.

In 2017, Zhang married Du Xinglin, who is 31 years younger than him, sparking debate about their age difference, with some comparing their relationship to that of a grandfather and granddaughter. They have two young children and are expecting a third. Du has publicly expressed happiness with her family life, praising Zhang for his support and involvement in childcare.

Du has also developed a close relationship with Zhang’s daughter and his first wife, Zhang Yuxin, as reported by Sinchew.

Zhang is famous for his film adaptations of classic wuxia novels by esteemed Chinese author Jin Yong, including “The Smiling, Proud Wanderer,” “The Legend of the Condor Heroes,” “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,” “The Return of the Condor Heroes,” “Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber,” and “The Deer and the Cauldron.”

In addition to his directorial accomplishments, he has played supporting roles in several of these adaptations.

He and Du have recently gained popularity through their live streams, where they sell a variety of products.