'This s*** marriage ends here': Chinese woman throws epic bash to celebrate divorce

A 34-year-old woman in China, identified as Song, marked the conclusion of her four-year marriage with a grand divorce celebration. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Song and her friend decoratedthe venue with red banners proclaiming the end of the marriage and congratulating the "diva" on her single status.

Festivities included symbolic rituals like stepping over a fire basin, a pomelo leaf shower for purification, and a celebratory song.

To capture the entire divorce process, including the moment Song received her separation certificate, she arranged for a photographer. The images and the story of Song's divorce celebration gained attention on social media platform Xiaohongshu, where she expressed feeling unexpectedly happy about the divorce. Her post received significant engagement, amassing 230,000 likes.

Song's divorce, formalised in June, gained widespread attention on Chinese social media platforms.

SCMP reported that the hashtags #divorce and #divorcephotography on Xiaohongshu received billions of views.The woman had discovered her husband's infidelity through a message on his mobile phone, prompting her decision to end the marriage.

Changing social attitudes towards divorce

The trend of divorce celebrations and photo shoots reflects an evolving social acceptance of divorce in China.

Yu Jia, an assistant professor at Peking University's Centre for Social Research, told SCMP that statistical data shows an increasing number of women initiating divorces, despite facing stigma. Social tolerance towards divorce is on the rise as it becomes a more common occurrence.

This celebratory approach to divorce is not unique to China. In May, an Indian woman challenged stereotypes with a unique photoshoot to mark the end of her "bad marriage."

(With inputs from agencies)