China court orders wedding party to pay US$34,000 after brutal bridesmaid prank
A Chinese court has ordered a wedding party to pay $34,000 in damages after a bridesmaid suffered a spinal fracture during a violent 'hun nao' hazing ritual. The case highlights growing public backlash against traditional wedding practices that have devolved into dangerous behavior.
Why it matters
It reflects a cultural shift in China where traditional customs are increasingly being challenged by legal and social standards regarding personal safety and human rights.
Public backlash over video of a Chinese bride taped to a utility pole sparks fierce debate over extreme wedding hazing. - Weibo SHANGHAI: A 20-year-old woman from central China who served as a bridesmaid had one of her vertebrae fractured and became seriously disabled after a prank activity at a wedding.
A court in Ruyang county, in Henan province, released its verdict on the case to the public in early July, aiming to raise awareness of the controversial wedding revelry, news portal gmw.cn reported.
As part of nuptial ceremonies, wedding hazing, called hun nao in Chinese, dates back thousands of years, originally being intended to create a fun atmosphere and to expel evil spirits.
Still popular in many parts of the country, it has drawn widespread criticism in recent years after the ritual has sometimes devolved into humiliation and even violence.
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