Truong Nhat Duong: Distorted mentality, punishing girlfriend, first Cbiz star to receive death sentence

On July 21, the Chinese entertainment industry was shocked by the news that male singer and actor Truong Nhat Duong, also known by his stage name Quy Tu, was sentenced to death on December 18, 2024 for sending a person to the other world.

Portrait of an "18th-line" artist and his short journey in showbiz

Zhang Yiyang, whose real name is Zhang Yiyang, was born on May 1, 1991 in Shaanxi, China. He entered the Chinese entertainment industry as a singer and actor, but was mainly classified by the Chinese media as an "18th-tier artist" - that is, people with little fame, who work moderately and have difficulty making a deep impression on the public.

Zhang Yiyang's artistic journey began in April 2012 when he was invited to participate in the reality TV entertainment show "Happy To Move" and won third place. This can be considered the first stepping stone, bringing him some initial attention.

On June 19, 2015, Truong Nhat Duong released his first original album titled "Crying Man", under the stage name Quy Tu. This album includes main songs such as: "I Only Care About Those Who Care About Me", "Crying Man", "So Care About You",... Although it did not create a big hit, this was also his effort to assert himself as a singer.

During 2016-2018, Truong Nhat Duong actively participated in small artistic activities to maintain his career. In August 2016, he appeared as a guest in the movie "The Modern Heroes". In September of the same year, he participated in the music event "Colding Stereo".

In October 2016, Zhang Yiyang was invited to participate in the 2017 Tangshan Lei Feng Spring Festival Gala. In December 2016, he continued to appear on the CCTV program "Charm China Tour" and performed the song "Will Anyone Tell You" on the live show.

In 2017, Zhang Yiyang tried his hand at the Wuhan region's "Next Idol" competition, showing his desire to find a breakthrough opportunity. By 2018, he began to venture into the film and television industry. In June 2018, the male singer participated in acting in his first film "The Soul of the Dragon". In September of the same year, Zhang Yiyang stepped into the television industry with the web drama "Spontaneous Combustion At The First Time".

These activities show that Zhang Yiyang has been working tirelessly to build a career in China's competitive entertainment industry, even though he is only positioned as a B, C, or even "18th-tier" artist. However, all those efforts ended tragically due to a gruesome crime that no one expected.

Shocking case: 16-year-old girlfriend tried for breaking up

The news of Zhang Yiyang's brutal execution was reported by Chinese media on July 21, 2025, causing a strong shock wave in public opinion. According to China Press, citing the announcement of the Xianyang City People's Court, Shaanxi Province (China), Zhang Yiyang committed the crime on February 26, 2022.

The victim was his girlfriend, who was 16 years old at the time. At the time of the crime, Zhang Yiyang was 31 years old and had a romantic relationship with the victim despite the large age gap and the victim being a minor (she was only 15 when they started dating, according to Zaobao). Both of them lived in the same village.

Illustration photo.

According to the detailed investigation report released, Zhang Yiyang invited his girlfriend to a deserted forest in Xingping City, Shaanxi Province, under the false pretext of celebrating the singer’s birthday. There, the victim proposed to break up. However, Zhang Yiyang refused, leading to a fierce argument between the two.

In a fit of rage and paranoia, Truong Nhat Duong then used a sharp object he had prepared and committed an unacceptable act on the person he loved. The young girl died on the spot due to mechanical suffocation.

After committing the crime, Truong Nhat Duong carried out a series of actions to erase the traces of the crime. He abandoned the victim and the evidence of the crime, then tried to choose an extreme option but failed. This action shows the coldness and calculation of the perpetrator after committing the heinous crime.

Zhang Yiyang was quickly arrested by the police. An extensive investigation revealed a terrifying portrait of the perpetrator. It was determined that the singer had repeatedly threatened to end his life in order to force the victim to maintain the relationship. He also displayed a strong desire for control and a paranoid personality, psychological factors that may have contributed to the eventual violent act.

The highest verdict and public backlash

The Xianyang City People's Court in Shaanxi Province has heard Zhang Yiyang's case. The court found that his actions were extremely violent, barbaric, and caused serious harm to society. In particular, the court emphasized that he had manipulated the victim's emotions for a long time, showing cruelty not only physically but also mentally.

The court finally handed down the maximum sentence to Zhang Yiyang for intentionally sending someone to the other world. He will be executed on December 18, 2024, at the age of 33. According to Zaobao, this is a remarkable milestone as Zhang Yiyang becomes the first artist to be sentenced to death and executed in China, a rare and shocking case in the entertainment industry.

The announcement of the case and the final verdict attracted a lot of attention on Chinese social media, causing a lot of heated reactions and controversy. The online community expressed extreme outrage at Zhang Yiyang's brutal behavior and deep sympathy for the young victim.

One point that has caused great indignation is that netizens have pointed out that, despite being sentenced to death and having served his sentence, Zhang Yiyang has not been included in the list of "bad artists" (artists who are permanently banned from broadcasting due to scandals or serious ethical violations) and his works have not been removed from online platforms. In fact, a film featuring him, called "Jie You Yin Qing Guan", was even released in March this year.

This has led many to believe that the Chinese entertainment industry is applying double standards to lesser-known artists. While more famous artists are "banned" and their works are immediately removed due to ethical scandals or tax fraud, a person who harms others like Zhang Yiyang is not treated similarly, or at least there is no public announcement from the regulatory agencies about the banning of his works. This injustice has caused a wave of strong criticism about the transparency and fairness in the management of the entertainment industry.

In addition, the fact that Truong Nhat Duong's girlfriend was only 15 years old when the two dated also made many people speculate about the singer's psychological disorder, adding to the disgust towards his behavior.

This case is not only a personal tragedy but also a wake-up call to the dark corners of society and the entertainment industry, where fame and money can sometimes overshadow the most basic moral values. It raises big questions about the responsibility of management agencies and entertainment companies in controlling artist ethics and protecting young people.

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