10-Year-Old Boy In Boy Sues Father For Spending His Rs 9 Lakh Lunar New Year Gift On Second Wedding

Last Updated:February 26, 2026, 20:51 IST

A 10-year-old boy in China sued his father for spending 82,750 yuan of his Lunar New Year gift money on a wedding. The court ruled the funds belong to the child and must be repaid.

A 10-year-old boy in China took his father to court after discovering that nearly 80,000 yuan (around Rs 9 lakh) of his Lunar New Year gift money had been used to finance the man’s second wedding. The case has drawn widespread attention online and sparked debate over who controls children’s “red envelope" money.

The child had received 82,750 yuan over the years as Lunar New Year “lucky money," traditionally gifted in red envelopes by relatives and family friends. The amount had been deposited into a bank account managed by his divorced father, with whom he was living in Zhengzhou, Henan province.

After the father remarried, the boy moved in with his mother. It was then that they discovered the savings account had been emptied, including the interest accrued. The mother later learned that the entire sum had been spent on the father’s wedding expenses.

Despite repeated attempts to recover the money, the father refused, arguing that the gifts had come from his own relatives and friends. He said he intended to return the funds once the boy reached adulthood and also accused the child’s mother of influencing him for financial gain.

The boy eventually filed a lawsuit against his father to reclaim the money.

The court ruled in favour of the child, stating that under China’s civil code, monetary gifts given to minors become their personal property once transferred. While parents, as legal guardians, may manage a child’s assets, they are only permitted to use the funds if it directly benefits the child, such as for education or medical expenses.

Using the money for personal purposes, including wedding costs, violated the child’s rights, the court said, and ordered the father to repay the full amount.

In China, the Lunar New Year “lucky money" is traditionally presented in red envelopes to children and elders as a symbol of good fortune and blessings. In recent years, however, disputes have emerged within families over whether parents should safeguard the money on behalf of their children or have discretion in using it.

News world 10-Year-Old Boy In Boy Sues Father For Spending His Rs 9 Lakh Lunar New Year Gift On Second Wedding

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