Chinese media has an analysis of Tri Trong Thuy's renunciation of a huge fortune.
He is widely known to audiences through the role of Tang Sanzang in the movie "Journey to the West". Meanwhile, Chen Lihua is one of the richest businesswomen in China, owning an empire of real estate and sandalwood furniture with total assets once statistically estimated by Forbes at about 6.8 billion USD.
When they got married in 1990, their marriage caused fierce controversy due to age differences, status and finance. Tri Trong Thuy from a famous actor became a man standing next to a powerful female billionaire, leading to countless rumors such as "marrying for money", "relying on a tycoon" or sacrificing his career for a wealthy life.
For many years, the actor has almost not reacted to negative comments. However, according to Chinese media, from 2017, when Tran Le Hoa began to mention the division of assets, he proactively announced that he would not accept inheritance rights.
After his wife passed away in April 2026, this decision continued to be maintained. This means Tri Trong Thuy relinquished ownership of assets worth more than 6.8 billion USD, including business shares, real estate and many other commercial assets.
Many opinions believe that this is the way the actor protects his personal honor after decades of living in prejudice. For the public, their marriage is always viewed through the lens of money rather than feelings. Although he has been together for more than 30 years, Tri Trong Thuy is still frequently suspected of marriage motives.
It is noteworthy that he is not completely separated from his wife's inheritance. The only asset that Tri Trong Thuy continues to manage is the Chinese Sandalwood Museum - a project considered a common enthusiasm of the couple. According to the actor, this is a cultural value, not simply material property.
Tri Trong Thuy's story also reflects the pressure that men face when marrying a richer and more powerful woman than themselves. If women marrying rich husbands are often seen as a realistic choice, men in the opposite position are easily associated with self-interest prejudices.
After more than 30 years of silence before public opinion, the renunciation of billions of USD worth of assets is seen as Tri Trong Thuy's final affirmation that his marriage was not built on money.
At the age of over 70, this choice may not completely erase the doubts that have lasted for many years, but at least shows that what the actor wants to keep after all is self-respect and peace rather than the right to own a huge fortune.
