China’s famous English teacher beats his American wife

Early this September, a famous Chinese celebrity Li Yang was exposed in a scandal of domestic violence. Li was probably the most famous English teacher in China, best known for his "Crazy English," a popular method of language learning he invented, in which yelling at the top of one’s lungs is a good way to learn English (yet many criticize it as some sort of travelling preachers or even cult). He married an American wife and the couple had 3 daughters now. On early September, Li’s wife Kim Lee went On Weibo (micro-blog) to complain about the violence, attaching photos showing bruises on her head and legs.

9/3 12:55

It would be easier if love had just disappeared the minute that your hand struck my face, but it did not. Seeing that you were having make up applied for TV appearance while I was in hospital hurts more than your slamming my head on the floor.

You knocked me to the floor. You sat on my back. You choked my neck with both hands and slammed my head into the floor. When I pried your hands from my neck you grabbed my hair and slammed my head into the floor ten more times!

She said Li Yang once called him after she exposed the pictures on her on the Internet.

9/5 20:42

Li Yang, why do you call me if you can only want to tell me my character problem caused you to beat me? I admit, I was yelling and you told me to shut up and I did not. But you could have walked out.

She said on Weibo that she has reported the incidents to the police.

9/5 20:50

The police officers were shocked but efficient and kind. They immediately sent me to the hospital. They tried to call you several times. They asked what I wanted to do, did I want to press charges or just have you come in and talk to domestic affairs officer. I sent you a message

Our kids are now in bed and I sit here crying as I write this. I sent you a message that you had to go to the police station. You ignored it. I just wanted you to talk to someone. I begged you to see a counselor before this happened many times. I have given you a week to get help

Kim later said she wants a divorce, but she does not want the kids to hate their dad, but she only wants them to hate the behavior of domestic violence.

You are an educated person. You must recognize this behavior is not mentally sound. I must divorce you for the sake of our girls. I will never teach them to hate you, you are their father. I will teach them to hate your behavior.

Protecting my daughters and minimizing disruption in their lives is much more important than telling my side of the story. Children are my priority now, so I have refused all requests for interviews. Friends, please understand.

While all this is going on, Li yang is still appearing on TV interviews and not addressing to the accusation. He once said on a TV program that his marriage was not based on love, but only to exchange education methods between the east and the west.

Even later Li Yans publicly apologized to his wife (on Weibo) he is still the center of public condemnation.

我向KIM正式道歉，我对她实施了家庭暴力，造成了身体和心灵上的严重伤害，对孩子也产生了不良的影响。我也向所有人道歉，我将深刻反省我的行为。I wholehearted apologize to my wife Kim and my girls for committing domestic violence. This has caused them serious physical and mental damage.

On September 20th, 2011, in an interview with Jiang Ying Shuang (姜英爽), a reporter, regarding his domestic violence incident, along with admitting violent wife beating on a number of occasions, Li Yang said the following to Jiang: "At the time (of wife beating), I wanted to kill her"; "Learning western culture doesn’t mean western culture is right. I feel Bin Laden’s 9.11 bombing is a job well done. 9.11 has been the cheapest war the world ever had. With the least casualties, (it) has drastically changed the world history. This is my point of view. Americans certainly would not agree (with me)" Later in the interview, he said: "The (Chinese) society is a giant brothel. Why businessmen have gatherings? Have sex with prostitutes"; Jiang: "Did you participate ( in prostitution)?" Li: "I have done it a few times".

According to a survey conducted by the All China Women’s Federation, of the 270 million Chinese families, 30 percent suffer from domestic violence. However, Anti-domestic violence laws has not been enacted or be drafted as an independent law. Currently only a few clauses in other laws, such as the Marriage Law, have addressed some aspects of the offence.

edited by Key