Chinese newspaper Southern Weekly revealed that although Mr Junmin lived alone for two years after the procedure, in 2020 he began dating again, despite his wife remaining in cryopreservation.
He told the newspaper that a severe gout attack which left him unable to move for two days began to change his mind about the benefits of living alone.
Soon after, he started seeing his current partner Wang Chunxia, although Mr Junmin suggested to the paper the love was only “utilitarian” and that she hadn’t “entered” his heart.
Reacting to the news, some commentators on the Chinese social media site Weibo showed sympathy with Mr Junmin’s plight, highlighting how long it had been since his wife was put in the cryogenic chamber.
Some believed it was time for him to move on from his frozen former spouse, adding he should, “let the departed…rest in peace”.
But others suggested the he had acted selfishly to only “satisfy his emotional needs”, with one post questioning “Would Zhan agree to this? Is it fair to Wang?”.