Renowned Chinese painter and calligrapher Fan Zeng announced the birth of his newborn son with wife Xu Meng on 11 December 2025.
The 87-year-old artist shared the news through a calligraphy statement posted online, expressing his joy at the new addition to his family.
Xu, 38, works as a TV presenter for Chinese state media. Fan married her in 2024, marking his fourth marriage.
In the same statement, Fan severed ties with several family members, including his daughter Fan Xiaohui. He declared that all public and private matters concerning him would be handled solely by Xu, and that no one has the right to interfere.
Xiaohui had previously spoken negatively about her father’s new relationship, claiming Xu had taken her father away and dismissed long-time helpers.
Daughter’s Allegations and Missing Artwork Worth Millions
In August 2025, Fan Xiaohui posted on social media that her father had been “taken away” by his new wife. She wrote: “Rumors have circulated online recently claiming my father, Fan Zeng, was forcibly removed from his home and has since gone missing.”
Xiaohui last saw her father in early July 2025. After returning from abroad, she found his Beijing residence sealed and empty.
Household staff told her that Xu had taken Fan away on 13 July 2025, along with his personal belongings. Long-serving staff had been dismissed with compensation and replaced by new helpers brought in by Xu.
Xiaohui also alleged that her father’s lifetime collection of paintings, calligraphy, and antiques had disappeared. Online speculation suggested that artworks and antiques valued at over two billion yuan (~S$366 million) had been transferred in recent months.
“For many days I have tried to call him, but his phone has always been switched off,” Xiaohui said. “I immediately reached out to Xu Meng via WeChat–the only channel of contact–but she has still not told me where my father is.”
She added that Fan had mentioned staying in hospital to care for Xu, though the timing of this remained unclear.
Fan Zeng’s Distinguished Career in Chinese Art
Fan holds prestigious positions including vice president of the China Artists Association and vice president of the Chinese Calligraphers Association.
His works have been exhibited internationally, including in Japan and the United Kingdom.
Over the past decade, his pieces have fetched more than 2.3 billion yuan (~S$421 million) at public auctions, according to the Hurun Art List.
In 2010, then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy awarded Fan the Knight of the Legion of Honour for his contributions to China-France cultural exchanges.
Fan’s first marriage was to a poetess, followed by a marriage to a painter. He met his third wife while she was married to one of his patrons and he was still married to his second wife. Both ended their previous marriages to be together.
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