【Epoch Times Jan 19, 2025】- The wildfires in Los Angeles, California, have been raging since the 7th, leading to the destruction of over 10,000 buildings, including the homes of many celebrities and public figures. Recently, a netizen revealed that the luxurious mansion of renowned Chinese director Zhang Jizhong, known for his work with CCTV, is suspected to have been damaged in the fires. Zhang has since rushed to the United States to address the situation, sparking widespread attention and discussion.
According to reports, Zhang Jizhong owns multiple properties in the United States. As early as 2016, the “Overseas Chinese Daily” disclosed that Zhang owned properties in Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego and Westlake Village in Los Angeles. Media outlets have previously shared interior photos of Zhang’s mansion, showcasing its spacious and elegant living rooms, gym facilities, and dubbing it an “exemplary mansion.”
Recently, a netizen discovered that Zhang Jizhong’s social media IP address had suddenly changed to the United States. The netizen claimed that Zhang’s mansion in Los Angeles had suffered damage in the fire, prompting his swift journey to the US for handling affairs. The netizen also mentioned Zhang’s calm and decisive demeanor in actively communicating and coordinating with relevant authorities.
On January 18, Zhang Jizhong’s third wife, 31 years his junior, Du Xinglin, responded to “Red Star News,” stating, “It’s false. We don’t have a house in Los Angeles.”
In response, netizens jokingly commented: “If it’s all burned down, indeed there’s no house left.” “His wife is right, it’s burned down anyway, there’s no house, just go find the insurance company.” “The massive fire in Los Angeles serves as a clear message: Chinese tycoons bear their suffering in silence.”
Some netizens pointed out, “It’s a common practice for mainland cultural and sports celebrities to own real estate abroad.” “For the wealthy and powerful, owning several properties and deposits in the US is nothing new.” “Given these stars have their houses burned, some are coming out saying they don’t have one.” “Why do recent news always involve a certain celebrity’s house in the US burning down? Isn’t one house nothing for these stars?!”
Public records show that the 73-year-old Zhang Jizhong, born in Heze, Shandong Province, has served as a senior economic analyst, director, and producer for CCTV. In 1987, his first TV series “Centennial Worry” won the Central Propaganda Department’s “Five-One Project” award. He also participated in the production of adaptations like “Three Kingdoms,” “Water Margin,” “Swordsman,” and “The Legend of the Condor Heroes,” earning awards such as the Feitian Award, Golden Eagle Award, Special Contribution Award, as well as the “National Moral Model Lifelong Achievement Award.”
Previously, Zhang Jizhong had been involved in various scandals, including allegations from his former CCTV-producing wife Fan Xinman that he had continuous extramarital affairs, resulting in a 3-year-old illegitimate child in the US and a mistress 31 years his junior. Fan Xinman had worked as a documentary producer for the state-endorsed CCTV program “Oriental Time & People’s Stories” for eight years and served as the executive director for nine editions of “Moved China.”