February 16, 2008
Tang Shoucai, a 50-year-old prison officer from quake-torn Beichuan, was the subject of a full-page article in the May 28 issue of The Beijing News. Tang described to the newspaper how, instead of going 100 meters to his home to check on his family members after the earthquake, he immediately started rescuing people trapped in the rubble.
Tang and other prison officers saved 17 prisoners from the debris of the collapsed prison, including one murderer. By the time he made it home, his wife and daughter were already dead － a tragedy not uncommon at the time.
Today, the newspaper revisited officer Tang, this time for a celebration of his wedding, which took place on February 14.
The bride, Xiao Lixia, is a 47-year-old Beijing businesswoman. She told the newspaper that she was touched by details in the article, including how Tang, who had only a prison officer’s modest salary, scrimped, ate leftovers, and went into debt to pay for his daughter’s college education. Xiao ended up writing Tang a letter that included her phone number, but she wasn’t sure that the letter would reach him amid the post-quake chaos. On May 31, she received an SMS from him in reply (three days seems a little short, but the newspaper does not offer any further details), and their relationship blossomed.
The couple plans to live in Beijing.
Wu Jiafang, another earthquake celebrity, also received heavy media coverage over his marriage.
Shortly after the earthquake, a photo circulated on the Internet showing Wu on a motorbike with his dead wife strapped to his back, resulting in instant fame for the 45-year-old migrant farmer and earning him the title of “the most loyal husband ever” among the Internet users.
However, the same media that helped to build up his image is now breaking it down. Wu got remarried last year to Liu Rurong, a woman he had only known for nine days. No longer was he seen as the model of a devoted husband.
When rumors about his personal life started circulating online, Chengdu TV media investigated. Wu reportedly refused to take care of his sick father and often fought with his brother. A villager testified that Wu was so hated in the village that no one would help him carry his wife’s body. Wu was forced by his in-laws to do what later made him famous.
Other villagers suggested that Wu and his wife were not a devoted couple as he claimed: they nearly divorced several times, and his wife even attempted to commit suicide.
- The Beijing News (Chinese): The Beijing News helped prison officer from the quake zone to get married, He lost his wife while saving criminals
- Strait News (Chinese): Man who carried his wife accused of being unfaithful