(Source: 123rf)
A 54-year-old monk from China named Xie is making headlines for suing his daughter for 200,000 yuan (about RM117,000) for parental support. In 2010, overwhelmed by work stress, he took a sabbatical to retreat to a mountain to embrace Buddhism. Fast forward to 2014, he quits his job entirely to embrace a full-time monastic life. He also divorced his wife in the process, for not supporting his decision.
During the divorce, he gave his daughter a generous settlement: a home valued at around 2.2 million yuan (roughly RM1.3 million) and cash amounting to 500,000 yuan (about RM294,000) as child support. Meanwhile Xie held on to approximately RM294,000 himself, travelling across China to study Buddhism.
During those years he relied on modest allowances, and in some cases, no income at all. Some temples provided food and lodging, but he had to pay for all of his travel expenses. As that decade of spiritual dedication wore on, the savings vanished. It gets dire, and at one point he even had to live in a cave and suffered a mental breakdown.
Now, settled in a rented flat for 1,500 yuan (RM880) a month and dependent on help from relatives, he filed a lawsuit against his daughter, demanding a one time payment of RM117,000 in parental support. He argued that at his age and with limited job skills, he cannot earn a living.
Here’s the twist: the court dismissed his case. The judge rules that Xie retains the ability to work and earn a living, meaning he has no right to claim parental support from his daughter.
Further, his daughter argued that the assets she received during the divorce were part of her father’s parental duties at the time and had no connection to the present lawsuit. She argued that Xie had chosen not to work on his own accord and still retained the ability to earn a living. She explained that with her monthly income of 10,000 yuan (about RM5,900), she could not possibly shoulder such a large payment, though she was open to giving him a smaller allowance each month. However, when Xie lashed out at her in court with harsh words, she withdrew the offer.
The story opens a wider debate about family responsibilities, legal rights, and the line between personal spiritual choices and social obligation. Some netizens sympathise, saying he sacrificed everything for his beliefs. Others point out that abandoning one’s own family, then returning to seek financial help, is asking too much.