According to the South China Morning Postonline influencer Zhang Kaiyi, who has 13.6 million followers on social media, said the incident occurred on Dec. 13 at the Beijing X Museum. The crown, traditionally worn by brides at weddings, was handcrafted by her husband as a wedding gift.

Surveillance footage shared by Zhang shows a woman attempting to photograph the crown while her son, who appeared to be of primary school age, wiped the transparent display case to help her obtain clearer images. The case, which was not securely fixed to its pedestal, fell, causing the crown to crash to the floor and suffer serious damage.

Zhang, who is seven months pregnant, said she and her husband were deeply distressed by the damage because of the crown’s emotional significance. She said she met her husband online and married after a brief courtship, making the crown one of the few physical symbols of their relationship.

She also said the incident left her emotionally shaken, as she worried it might bring bad luck to her marriage and the child she is expecting.

Online influencer Zhang Kaiyi’s gold phoenix wedding crown after falling to the ground. Photo from Zhang’s Weibo

The crown was displayed as part of an exhibition themed “Love,” which featured works by 86 artists. The exhibition was initiated by Zhang’s husband, who is a doctoral candidate at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, one of China’s most prestigious art institutions.

Zhang said she posted the video not to demand compensation from the boy or his mother, noting that the crown was insured. She added that she hoped the incident would remind parents to closely supervise their children at exhibitions rather than focusing on their phones.

Legal experts quoted by local media said compensation, if pursued, could involve repair costs, depreciation, or the item’s full value, as well as potential non-material damages due to the crown’s unique emotional significance, reported the Daily Mail. Industry professionals noted that repairing gold jewelry can be nearly as costly as remaking it.

One jewelry specialist said the labor cost alone for crafting a crown from about 2 kilograms of gold could range from 21,170-42,339 pounds (US$28,571-$57,141), depending on the extent of the damage.

Zhang’s posts attracted about 180,000 likes and more than 35,000 comments, sparking heated online debate over responsibility. While some netizens criticized the mother and child, others argued that the exhibition organizer bore responsibility for failing to secure the display case properly.

“I have often seen fingerprints on display cases at national museums, where priceless antiques are showcased,” one commenter wrote. “It seems to be a common practice to touch the case.”

Another user, who claimed to work in the exhibition industry, said: “When we install an exhibition we often shake the pedestal just to make sure the exhibits are well protected even if some people display uncivilized behavior.”