A Chinese court has ordered a group of wedding participants to pay more than 230,000 yuan (about RM150,000) in compensation after a 20-year-old bridesmaid was left permanently disabled during a wedding prank gone horribly wrong.
The ruling, delivered by the Ruyang County People’s Court in Henan Province, stemmed from an incident that took place during a wedding celebration on 4 October 2023.
According to court documents, the victim, identified only by her surname Zhang, had been invited to serve as a bridesmaid at the wedding of a couple identified as Wang and Li.
After the bride was escorted to the bridal room, several of the groom’s friends remained behind and began taking part in a traditional wedding prank, commonly known in China as “hun nao”, or wedding hazing.
Zhang told the court that she had tried to hide from the group, but one of the men allegedly dragged her out of a wardrobe before placing her on a bed and wrapping her in a blanket.
The group then allegedly grabbed the corners of the blanket and tossed her into the air. During the second throw, they failed to catch her, causing her to crash onto the floor.
The court heard that even during the prank, one of the groom’s aunts had appeared at the doorway and warned the group to stop.
Zhang was rushed to hospital before being transferred to another medical facility the following day. Doctors diagnosed her with a burst fracture of the first lumbar vertebra (L1), and she remained hospitalised for 18 days.
A judicial assessment conducted in August 2024 later classified her injuries as a Grade 9 disability, indicating permanent impairment.
In its ruling, the court found that the bride and groom, as organisers of the wedding, were aware of the local wedding prank tradition but failed to take effective steps to prevent the dangerous behaviour.
The man accused of pulling Zhang from the wardrobe was found to have played a significant role in the incident, while several other participants were unable to prove they had not taken part in the prank.
The court apportioned liability by ordering the bride and groom to bear 40% of the compensation, the man who allegedly dragged Zhang from the wardrobe to pay 20%, and eight other participants to jointly cover the remaining 40%.
The total compensation awarded to Zhang exceeded 230,000 yuan, covering medical expenses and other losses arising from the life-changing injuries.
