Ms. Truong, 20, from Ruzhou, Henan province, suffered a fractured vertebra and severe disability. She is now the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the bride, groom, and groomsmen, stemming from a wedding custom.
The local court's recent ruling aims to raise awareness about excessive and controversial wedding activities.
The custom of "nao hon," a Chinese tradition to welcome guests before a wedding, dates back thousands of years. It involves friends and relatives teasing, challenging, or creating difficulties for the newlyweds, bridesmaids, and groomsmen to create a joyful atmosphere.
However, in many regions, this custom has unfortunately devolved into harassment, humiliation, or even violence.
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A bride tied to an electric pole in a "nao hon" video, sparking outrage over the tradition's distortion. *Photo: Weibo* |
Truong's incident occurred on 4/10/2023. She was serving as a bridesmaid for her friend, Ms. Ly. As part of the "nao hon" ritual, 9 men, most of whom were groomsmen, carried and threw her onto a bed.
They then grabbed the corners of the bedsheet to toss her into the air.
During the activity, the groom's aunt passed by the room and warned them not to take the prank too far. Her advice was ignored.
On their first attempt, they tossed her up and caught her. However, on the second attempt, they failed to catch her, causing the young woman to fall to the floor.
Doctors diagnosed Truong with a fractured lumbar vertebra, requiring her to be hospitalized for 18 days.
In her lawsuit, Ms. Truong sought 270,000 yuan in compensation.
The court ruled that the bride and groom were responsible for Truong's injuries. As the wedding organizers, the couple knew about the potential for harassment but did not intervene in time. They were held 40% responsible, equivalent to 90,000 yuan.
The young man identified as the instigator of the dangerous prank, who also encouraged the group, was ordered to pay 50,000 yuan. The other 8 young men were jointly liable for a total of 90,000 yuan.
The total compensation awarded to the victim amounted to 230,000 yuan.
Incidents of wedding hazing resulting in serious injury or even death frequently appear in Chinese news reports.
In 2018, a groom in Guizhou province, southwest China, suffered multiple injuries after being hit by a car on a highway while attempting to flee "nao hon" pranks.
Earlier this year, another groom, also in Guizhou, fractured his leg while trying to escape the antics. He sued the pranksters, and the court ordered them to pay 50,000 yuan.
By Hai Thu (According to SCMP)
