Husband of Cryopreserved Wife Faces Controversy in China After Finding New Girlfriend Out of Fear of Living Alone

Decision for Cryopreservation Due to Lung Cancer in 2017
Signed 30-Year Cryogenic Contract with Hospital

The husband of China's first cryopreserved woman, who suffered from lung cancer, has become embroiled in a moral controversy after meeting a new woman while his wife remains in cryogenic storage. On November 15, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported the story of Gui Junmin, who decided to freeze his wife in 2017 due to her illness, and is now facing criticism for beginning a relationship with another woman.

Frozen preservation surgery preoperative photos of Mr. Gui Junmin and Mr. Zhan Yuanlian. Photo by SCMP

Back in 2017, Gui, who works in the sports industry, decided to freeze his wife, Zhan Yuanlian (then 48), after doctors told her she had only a few months to live due to lung cancer. According to reports, Gui believed this was the only way not to lose his wife, hoping she might be revived if a cure for cancer was discovered in the future.

As a result, after Gui signed a 30-year contract with Shandong Yinfeng Life Science Research Institute, Zhan became the first person in China to undergo cryopreservation. Established in 2015, the institute collaborated with Qilu Hospital of Shandong University at the time to conduct experimental human cryopreservation and offered free procedures to early volunteers. For two years after his wife's cryopreservation, Gui was firmly determined to remain single for life. However, in 2020, he suffered a severe gout attack. Unable even to use his phone, he lay helpless for two days until relatives finally rescued him.

Gui said, "I realized that if something happened while I was alone, there would be nothing I could do. I could die at home and no one would know." Afterwards, it is said that he met Wang Chunxia through an acquaintance and they became a couple. Gui explained that Wang has a kind and simple personality, similar to his wife. However, perhaps aware of the controversy, Gui said, "She (Wang) is not yet in my heart. I feel a sense of responsibility toward her, but this is a complicated issue." He added, "She can never replace my wife," and confessed, "If I marry Wang, it would be considered bigamy. If my wife is revived, I worry about how to handle the property."

After undergoing heart stent surgery, Gui reportedly has difficulty walking and cannot cross the street without Wang's help. As Gui's story spread, local internet users were divided in their opinions. One commenter asked, "Now he wants to hold one woman in his arms and reunite with another 30 years later. Is this some kind of emotional polygamy?" Another wrote, "Gui may appear devoted, but in reality, he is emotionally distant. Look at how coldly he keeps his distance from his current partner. Why doesn't he genuinely care for his new partner? Selfish." On the other hand, some users responded, "If I were in Gui's situation, I might do the same," and "After reading Gui's story, I can't say I don't understand."