Singer Faye Wong announced on Sept 13 that she has divorced her second husband, former actor turned businessman, Li Yapeng.

They had been married for eight years.

Fans reposted her Sina Weibo micro blog announcement more than 100,000 times in the first hour.

The post read: "Our destiny as husband and wife ends here. I'm well. You take care, too." The 44-year-old pop diva also attached a smiling emoticon.

Li later confirmed the news on his micro blog, posting: "I wanted a family, but you are a legend. I miss the good days we spent together over the past 10 years."

The 41-year-old also said their daughter Li Yan will live with him, and there are no disputes over property issues because they have remained financially independent since they wed.

Li also said: "I still love you like I did before. Letting go is the only thing I can do for you now. I hope you are happy."

The posts received 200,000 comments and more than 700,000 reposts.

Traditional media are also abuzz.

CCTV cited an anonymous source on its official micro blog, saying the couple had signed a divorce agreement in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where Li was born. Tencent, China's largest and most-used Internet portal, also released photos of Wong arriving at Beijing International Airport around midnight on Sept 13. The reports said Wong looked tired and sad.

Internet users expressed disbelief.

"This isn't real. I don't believe in love anymore," one of Wong's fans commented on her micro blog.

Many were supportive.

"You're my favorite artist. You never hide your attitude toward love. I respect your decision and wish you happiness," a Web user posted.

Hong Kong-based Chinese actress Lau Kar-ling, one of Wong's close friends, said she was not surprised because she has been aware of Wong's decision for a while. She said the couple tried hard to fix their marriage, but the differences in their values were irreconcilable.

"Wong is strong, and she will make it through," she said.

Media sought comment from Hong Kong singer-actor Tse Ting-fung, who was in a relationship with Wong from 2000 to 2004. He married Hong Kong actress Cheung Pak-chi in 2006 and the couple divorced in 2011. Tse had not yet commented on Wong's divorce.

Beijing News cited an "insider" as saying the couple's problems began a year ago. The newspaper said Wong has been studying Buddhism for years and might become a nun.

Wong posted several pictures of her trip to the Tibet autonomous region days before the divorce announcement.

Wong was born in Beijing and developed her career in Hong Kong. She became one of the country's most popular singers and performed in Mandarin and Cantonese.

She married her first husband, rock musician Dou Wei, in 1996. They divorced three years later.

Their daughter Dou Jingtong is 16 and lives with Wong. Dou posted on her micro blog: "The pain is real, but life goes on. I love you."

Wong withdrew from the limelight after she married Li in 2005.

In 2006, she gave birth to their daughter Li Yan, who had a severe cleft lip. The couple founded the Smile Angel Foundation, a charity for Chinese children with cleft palates.

The Smile Angel Foundation has released a statement saying it will not be affected by the couple's divorce.

"We respect their decision toward different paths of life and the foundation will work as usual," it said.

Though Wong has kept a low profile since she married Li, she is still a headliner followed by fans and media.

In 2010, she returned to perform at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, China's most watched annual TV show. She also staged several concerts that year.

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/15/2013 page2)