A Chinese boy accidentally broke an expensive crown while taking photographs at an exhibition in Beijing, China, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The 2kg golden phoenix crown was valued at approximately $280,000 (Rs 2.35 crore). The boy, visiting the store with his family, was fascinated by the display and inadvertently knocked over the crown, causing it to shatter.
Details of the incident were shared by Zhang Kaiyi, who is an influencer with around 13.6 million followers. She said that the crown was made by her husband, Zhang Yudong, as a wedding gift.
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The footage shared on social media showed the child, accompanied by his mother, touching the display case to clean the protective case, which toppled and the crown was damaged.
As per the report, Zhang, who is seven months pregnant, said they were very upset after the incident as the piece of jewellery symbolised their love and meant a lot to them. They also thought that the incident would bring bad luck to their marriage and pregnancy.
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She shared another video, saying that an online observer told her that damage to important items means that it is blocking bad luck for them.
She emphasised the crown's sentimental value, but also clarified that the video was not intended to blame the child or his family, and that the crown was insured.
The incident has sparked debate on social media, with some calling for the parents to take responsibility and others criticising the museum's display setup.
"I have often seen fingerprints on display cases at national museums, where priceless antiques are showcased. It seems to be a common practice to touch the case," one online observer said as quoted by SCMP.
"When we install an exhibition we often shake the pedestal just to make sure the exhibits are well protected even if some people display uncivilised behaviour," another user said.
