China Scene: South

Court rejects divorce pleas, rules couple still in love

A young mother in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region wanted her newborn daughter to have her family name. The woman, surnamed Chen, pointed to a clause in China's marriage law that she interpreted as permitting a child to take the family name of either parent.

Her husband, surnamed Pan, refused. Upset, Chen filed for divorce.

But the local court rejected her application for divorce, reasoning that the young couple still loved each other and so could work out their differences.

(Guilin Evening News)

Two men share a name, share a destiny

Two men in Guangdong province who share the same last name, but are not related by blood, have become closer than actual brothers.

Both men, surnamed Li, were orphaned as toddlers. Li Ruixiang is the luckier of the two. He married happily and has led a comfortable life. Li Ruikun, by contrast, was blinded by illness at an early age.

Li Ruixiang invited Li Ruikun to live in his home 44 years ago so that he could better attend to his friend's health. He even taught his own five children to address his lifelong "brother" as their uncle.

(Nanfang Daily)

(China Daily 06/11/2008 page6)