Daughter claims Chinese artist Fan Zeng, 87, ‘taken away’ by new wife, 50 years his junior

Chinese painter and calligrapher Fan Zeng. Photo from Fan's Weibo

According to the South China Morning Post, Fan’s daughter Xiaohui wrote on social media on Saturday: "Rumors have circulated online recently claiming my father, Fan Zeng, was forcibly removed from his home and has since gone missing."

"As his daughter, I want to first thank everyone for their concern, but I am deeply anxious about his health and safety."

Fan married Xu, reportedly a TV presenter for Chinese state media, last year. This marks the artist’s fourth marriage, according to The Standard.

Fan Xiaohui said she last saw her father in early July. Having been abroad, she returned to find his Beijing residence sealed and empty. Household staff reportedly told her that Xu had taken Fan away on July 13, along with his personal belongings, and that long-serving staff had been dismissed with compensation, replaced by new helpers brought in by Xu.

Fan Xiaohui also alleged that Fan’s lifetime collection of paintings, calligraphy, and antiques had disappeared. Her post came amid online speculation that Xu had transferred artworks and antiques valued at over 2 billion yuan (US$248.5 million) in recent months.

"For many days I have tried to call him, but his phone has always been switched off," Fan 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 it is unclear when this occurred.

According to China Newsweek, Beijing police have not received any reports regarding Fan’s disappearance. Attempts to reach Fan Zeng’s art company, which remains operational, also yielded no information about his whereabouts or the allegations raised by his daughter.

Fan is widely recognized as a master of calligraphy and painting in China. He 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 U.K., and over the past decade have fetched more than 2.3 billion yuan at public auctions, according to the Hurun Art List. In 2010, he was awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honour by then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy 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 then ended their previous marriages to be together.