A recent divorce settlement in China has garnered significant attention on mainland social media, involving an unusual arrangement over the rights to a popular Douyin account. Zhang Cong, the ex-husband, successfully won the right to use his former wife Tian Li’s Douyin account for 200,000 yuan (US$28,000), despite their divorce being finalized three years ago.
Tian Li, a garment vendor, created a Douyin account in 2017, which she used to share fashion tips and daily life anecdotes. The account gained substantial popularity, amassing 800,000 followers and 15 million likes by the time she and Zhang divorced in 2019. Zhang, who was unemployed when Tian’s account started gaining traction, assisted her by shooting videos and handling merchandise deliveries. Their financial situation improved significantly due to Tian’s online success, enabling them to purchase a flat and two luxury cars.
During the divorce, they agreed to split their common assets, such as property and vehicles, and Tian was given custody of their child. However, Zhang later sought half the value of Tian’s Douyin account, inspired by a TV drama series that suggested such accounts could be monetized. He argued that the account, worth an estimated two million yuan, was joint property and that he was entitled to a share.
Tian maintained that her account did not generate direct income, as she did not solicit financial rewards from fans or engage in live-streaming sales. She used the account to direct traffic to her WeChat, where she sold clothes. Judge Xiong Yi at Pengzhou Municipal People’s Court acknowledged the legal basis for Zhang’s claim, considering the account was operated during their marriage. However, he noted the difficulty in valuing the account, as it was registered under Tian’s real name and couldn’t be bought or sold on the market.
After multiple mediation rounds, an agreement was reached, allowing Zhang to access Tian’s Douyin account for a specific period in exchange for 200,000 yuan. The arrangement has sparked diverse reactions online, with many mocking Zhang’s actions. Some commenters humorously suggested that Zhang should ask the followers whom they prefer to follow, while others expressed amazement at the peculiar nature of the case.
This incident follows another unusual divorce settlement in China, where a childless couple disagreed on their pet dog’s custody. They eventually agreed that the dog would stay with the woman, with the man paying alimony for visitation rights. Both cases highlight the evolving and sometimes unconventional nature of divorce settlements, reflecting the changing dynamics of personal and digital assets in modern relationships.
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