Man sues Chinese actress over TV stare

By Hallie Jeon

A man is suing Chinese actress Zhao Wei for staring too intensely through the TV screen.

The case is the result of a recent change to Chinese law that makes it easier for people to file lawsuits and appeal court decisions.

According to the Supreme People's Court, the new regulation has made it more difficult for courts to reject lawsuits. Since it took effect on May 1, there has been nationwide increase of 29 percent in cases compared with last year.

The Shanghai Pudong New District Court received the man's lawsuit against Wei that alleges her intense stare through the TV screen caused him "spiritual damage."

An official declined to say whether the court had accepted the case.

Gan Wen, the deputy head of a case-filing chamber, said this was an example of citizens abusing their right to file lawsuits. "It's not necessary to waste our judicial resources on cases like these," he said.