A domestic dispute in southern China has sparked widespread debate online after a husband was filmed violently trashing his home when he discovered his wife had bought a dishwasher without informing him.
The incident took place in Guangdong, where the woman shared a video showing her living room in ruins after her husband flew into a rage over the purchase.
According to the woman, she bought the dishwasher online for 1,500 yuan (about $215) because washing dishes by hand during winter was painful due to extremely cold tap water. She also said her husband does not help with washing up.
The man only learned about the purchase when a worker arrived at their rented apartment to install the dishwasher. He immediately ordered his wife to cancel the order and return the appliance, arguing that it was an unnecessary expense and that the family could not afford higher water and electricity bills.
“It’s not expensive. We can afford it,” the woman replied, refusing to cancel the order.
When the installer began work, the husband reportedly demanded that he stop. After his wife objected, the situation escalated. The man became furious and started smashing furniture and other items in the living room.
The woman ran out of the apartment in tears and spent about an hour on the street before checking into a hotel for the night. Footage she later shared online showed the extent of the damage inside the home.
She explained that arguments over shopping were not new in their marriage. The husband works in a city far from home and earns about 11,000 yuan a month, while she stays in their hometown caring for their two children. She also revealed that her husband is carrying significant debt and may have felt financial pressure, especially after she was sick and unemployed the previous year.
Despite the incident, the woman returned the dishwasher the following day. Her husband later called to apologise, saying he had been in a bad mood and promising to treat her better in the future. He also suggested buying a smaller dishwasher instead.
The story quickly went viral, drawing strong reactions across social media. Many users condemned the husband’s behaviour, with some calling it domestic violence and urging the woman to leave the marriage.
“The man is so violent. Divorce him as soon as possible,” one commenter wrote.
Others took a more sympathetic view of the husband, saying the financial pressure of being the sole breadwinner may have pushed him over the edge. A family lawyer interviewed by South China Morning Post said both sides shared responsibility — criticising poor communication over finances while stressing that destroying property in anger is unacceptable.
