Chinese Actor Zhang Yiyang Executed For Murder Of 16-Year-Old Girlfriend, Becomes First Celeb To Get Death Penalty In China

Chinese singer and actor Zhang Yiyang became the first celeb to be executed in China after he was found guilty of brutally murdering his 16-year-old girlfriend in 2022. The actor was reportedly executed in December 2024, and the details were recently released by the Xianyang Intermediate People’s Court in Shaanxi.

According to reports in Koreaboo and Dimsumdaily, Zhang was convicted of murdering his girlfriend in February 2022 by stabbing her in the neck. He reportedly took her to a secluded forest in Xingping City under the pretext of celebrating his birthday, however, an argument broke out between the two. It was then that the girlfriend declared she wanted to end the relationship, and in a fit of rage, Zhang stabbed her in the neck repeatedly with a folding knife.

The attack severely ruptured her carotid artery and windpipe and she succumbed on the spot.

Zhang did not just stop there but he tried to disguise the murder as a suicide, and he too attempted to end his life. However, his suicide bid failed and he was arrested by local authorities.

Zhang was eventually found guilty of committing the crime and he was charged for intentional homicide, and was sentenced to death. After his appeal was rejected, he was executed in December 2024 by the firing squad, an execution method still used in China.

The Zhang Yiyang case is said to be one of the most sensational cases in Mainland China, given the fact that the actor was basking in his newfound success and was being touted as the next superstar when the crime took place. It was also the first time that a celebrity got executed after being convicted in a heinous crime in Mainland China.