customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Liya Su

A news story in China about a couple who tied their misbehaving son to a pillar in a food court while they ate has sparked a fresh public debate about harsh parenting.
The unidentified couple from Zhejiang province in eastern China were filmed disciplining their young son for running around and making noise while eating at a BBQ restaurant in a local food court, Yueniu News reported.
Another diner, surnamed Zhang, took the video on August 19, in which the father can be seen tying his son to the pillar using tape.

The couple then filmed their son with smartphones as he struggled against the tape and tried to free himself.
Zhang said the food court was busy with people during the evening rush, many of whom were laughing and taking video of the helpless boy.
“I think it was very funny,” Zhang told Yueniu News.
However, the video has divided opinion on mainland social media, where it received more than 12,000 comments on Douyin.
Many online commenters criticised the couple’s approach to parenting.
One person asked: “Did anyone call the police?”
Another person said: “I want to know how it hurt their son. I don’t think it’s funny at all.”
However, some people sided with the couple.
“I am a young parent too. I support their parenting style,” said one.
Another added: “The son will learn a lesson and will behave properly in the future.”

Stories about harsh parenting regularly make the news in China.
In June, a mother who imposed a strict diet on her son went viral after news outlets reported that she forced him to vomit up a piece of cake he ate at a classmate’s birthday party.
In April, a man in southeastern China who demanded his grandson seek revenge on a classmate, leading to a physical assault on another child, caused public outrage.
Late last year, an eight-year-old boy in central China who was forced to watch television all night by his parents as punishment for watching too much TV was widely discussed online.


China dog owner pays woman US$12,600 after she has miscarriage because animal startled her

China delivery rider collapses, dies on bike after working 18-hour days, leaves family in hardship

China landlord tries to evict terminal cancer tenant, fearing death could reduce property value

China MMA athlete faces online backlash for reporting groping to police and not retaliating

Trending in China

‘Did anyone call the police?’: actions of parents in China who tied ‘naughty’ son to pillar in food court while eating divides online opinion

A couple in China were filmed tying their young son to a food court pillar to stop him from running around and making noise while they ate. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

Online reaction to the incident has been divided, with many questioning the parenting abilities of the couple. Photo: Weibo

After tying him to the column, the boy’s parents left him to have dinner inside and passers-by stopped to laugh and film the helpless child. Photo: Weibo

Disappearing ducks: astonished vets open up bulldog in China and find 11 swallowed rubber toys, solving owner’s vanishing waterfowl mystery

A pet owner in China was astonished when vets opened up her bulldog and found 11 toy rubber ducks inside its stomach. The story has tickled the funny bone of mainland social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo 

Ducks in a row: following surgery, vets laid out the rubber toys to show the different conditions they were in. Photo: Weibo

The bulldog survived the US$1,100 surgery and has made a full recovery. Photo: Weibo

Life of diner in China saved by doctor in same restaurant who  spots symptoms of brain tumour and intervenes

The woman’s survival story went viral when the Zhejiang provincial government promoted it online for China’s Doctors Day on August 19. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Zhao operated on the woman soon after spotting her symptoms and removed the tumour. Photo: Douyin

Zhao said his training as a doctor kicked in when he saw the woman and realised the serious nature of her symptoms. Photo: Douyin

China Ferrari driver only asks for US$26 from elderly tricycle rider who scratched his US$620,000 sports car causing US$14,000 damage

People on mainland social media have heaped praise on the young driver of a sports car who only asked for a tiny amount of compensation from an elderly tricycle rider who scratched the US$620,000 Ferrari he was driving. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

The elderly tricycle driver initially tried to flee the scene but the Ferrari driver managed to stop him. Photo: Weibo

Police were called to the scene on Shanghai’s Bund and the tricycle driver was told to take full responsibility. Photo: Shutterstock

Woman in China gets US$4,200 monthly job as mahjong anchor on live-streaming platform after being qualified for game knowledge

“This result is beyond my expectation. I feel happy about that,” says the new streaming host after beating other hopefuls for the job. Photo: SCMP composite

The host and three internet users play mahjong during each session but it does not involve gambling as it is illegal in China. Photo: Douyin

The job ad specified applicants must have well-manicured hands, as although the host’s face is not on camera, their hands will be visible. Photo: Douyin

Tearful father ‘not caring for own dignity’ begs food for sick teenage son on subway after hospital visit, touching Chinese social media

“I still need to feed him, and he can’t urinate or defecate by himself,” the emotional father says through tears to other passengers. Photo: SCMP composite/Baidu

A kind woman offers the upset father some grapes on the subway after he has begged other passengers for help in desperation. Photo: Baidu

The loving father feeds his disabled son the grapes after carefully peeling each one in the touching video. Photo: Baidu

News

People & Culture

Man who filmed incident says fellow diners laughed and filmed helpless boy
Many on mainland social media condemn father and mother for cruel and abusive parenting


A couple filmed tying their young son to a food court pillar to stop him running around and being disruptive while they ate has sparked a fresh online debate about child discipline in China.


‘Did anyone call the police?’: actions of parents in China who tied ‘naughty’ son to pillar in food court while eating divides online opinion

Man who filmed incident says fellow diners laughed and filmed helpless boy Many on mainland social media condemn father and mother for cruel and abusive parenting

Man who filmed incident says fellow diners laughed and filmed helpless boy

Many on mainland social media condemn father and mother for cruel and abusive parenting