Chinese actor Zhang Yiyang stabs 16-year-old girlfriend to death after she snubs him, gets executed by firing squad in first-ever celebrity death sentence
Zhang Yiyang
became the first celebrity in mainland China to be executed for a violent crime, following his conviction for the premeditated murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend. The 33-year-old was executed by firing squad on December 18, 2024, though news of the execution only became public in July 2025, according to Chinese media and judicial sources. The actor lured his girlfriend to a remote forest in Xingping City under the pretense of celebrating his birthday. When she expressed a desire to end their relationship, he attacked her with a folding knife.
A violent birthday
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According to the official verdict from the
Xianyang Intermediate People's Court
in Shaanxi Province, the murder took place on February 26, 2022, Zhang's birthday. The court revealed that Zhang stabbed her multiple times in the neck, severing her carotid artery and windpipe, which led to instant death by hemorrhage and asphyxiation. The brutal assault was described as 'extremely violent, deliberate, and socially harmful.'
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Undo
Zhang then attempted to stage the scene to look like a suicide and fled. He later tried to take his own life at a hotel but survived and was arrested shortly after by local authorities.
The execution
Zhang's execution, carried out by firing squad, a method still sanctioned under Chinese law, was not publicly disclosed at the time. The case only came to light in July 2025, prompting an outpouring of reactions on Chinese social media platforms such as
and Douban.
Live Events
Netizens expressed outrage over the fact that Zhang's work, including films and music, remained publicly accessible even after his conviction and execution. Many called for him to be formally added to the government's blacklist of disgraced public figures, which bars artists from being featured in media or earning royalties from their work.
While capital punishment remains legal in China for crimes like murder, executions of public figures are exceedingly rare. Zhang's execution signals a harsh precedent, and perhaps a turning point, in how China deals with celebrity crimes.
As of now, Chinese authorities have made no formal announcement regarding the removal of Zhang's existing media, nor has his name appeared on official state blacklists.
Manipulation and abuse
The court also highlighted that Zhang had a long pattern of emotional abuse and psychological manipulation over the victim, including threats of suicide to prevent her from leaving him. Reports indicated that the two had been in a relationship since September 2021, despite the victim being underage.
Prosecutors labeled the murder as intentional homicide, arguing that the actor had shown no genuine remorse and had tried to obstruct justice. His appeals to both the provincial High Court and the Supreme People's Court were rejected.
Who Was Zhang Yiyang?
Zhang Yiyang was a relatively obscure but rising figure in the entertainment world, often referred to as an '18th-tier' actor. He trained under Hong Kong director Li Wenlong and had released a few albums, including Crying Man. He also appeared in low-budget films such as The Sound of Music (音疗大师), which ironically premiered just months after his execution.
He was awarded a "Golden Shang New-Star Actor" prize early in his career but never achieved mainstream fame.
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