Chi Zhongrui, once a top Chinese entertainment star, gave up stardom for marriage, chose to focus on rosewood crafts and museum work, ignoring decades of groundless rumors about himself.
The sudden revelation that Chi Chongrui’s net worth exceeds 10 billion came as a huge surprise to the entire internet.
On the day the couple obtained their marriage certificate in 1990, in the presence of relatives and friends from both sides, Chi Chongrui signed a prenuptial agreement on the spot, explicitly waiving any claim to all assets held in Chen Lihua’s name.Over the subsequent decades, Chi Chongrui readily signed off on Chen Lihua’s arrangements—including the establishment of a family trust and the public disclosure of her estate distribution plan—and never laid a finger on the Chen family’s core assets. He received only a fixed monthly allowance of 100,000 yuan for living expenses. Previous rumors that he had been using his relationship with a wealthy woman to vie for her fortune are entirely unfounded.
As soon as
the news broke, it sparked heated discussion online.Some lamented that he had given up a massive fortune, while others dug up old stories to accuse him of having abandoned his status as a top star in the entertainment industry to marry into a wealthy family—allegedly solely for financial gain—only to change his mind in his old age. This controversy has persisted for thirty-six years.
In the early days of their marriage, neighbors and locals often whispered that he was a kept man,Later, every time he appeared in public with Chen Lihua, people would question him directly about how much he had gained from the marriage. There were even unfounded reports comparing him to Weng Fan—insinuating that both were after their partners’ fortunes—which circulated every two or three months in social media groups for middle-aged and older adults.While most people would have been eager to refute such rumors and set the record straight, Chi Chongrui never once came forward to respond.
Few people know that he enters the rosewood warehouse every morning at 7:30 a.m. to inspect the raw logs, often ending up with his hands covered in dust; nor do many know that he frequently stays in the cultural and creative workshop, sanding and carving prototypes alongside master craftsmen, often working late into the night;not to mention that for more than twenty years since the China Rosewood Museum opened, he has provided volunteer guided tours for visitors almost every day, taking brief breaks to suck on throat lozenges whenever his voice grows hoarse before continuing.
Now 73 years old, Chi Chongrui continues to advance the “Digital Rosewood” project, aiming to bring the traditional rosewood craftsmanship he has inherited online so that younger generations can gain a more intuitive understanding of the intricacies of this craft.
Some wonder: why did he choose to forgo a comfortable life among the wealthy elite, spending most of his life devoted to matters related to rosewood, enduring decades of criticism without ever defending himself? Does he truly not care about what others say, or does he have considerations deep in his heart that others simply cannot fathom?
In the course of a lifetime, it’s inevitable to encounter gossip or unfounded speculation from others. Rather than wasting energy on endless arguments, it’s better to focus on doing what you believe in with dedication. As long as you know in your heart how you’ve lived your life, that’s enough.
If you, too, appreciate the wisdom Chi Chongrui has demonstrated throughout most of his life, feel free to share this article with old friends and discuss it with them. For our generation, what we seek above all is to live with a clear conscience.
