‘No beatings for a month’: China father rewards son for top exams marks with exemption from corporal punishment
A father in China has granted his son a one-month exemption from beatings after the boy received top marks during a recent school exam, prompting online debate about corporal punishment in China.
The man, surnamed Zhang, from Shangdong province in eastern China, issued his son a cardboard plaque with words that translate into English as “beating-exemption gold medal”, according to Dianshi News.
The accolade mimicked a death penalty exemption that used to be awarded by emperors in China, granting the recipients immunity from executions.
According to the plaque, the beating exemption lasts one month but would be revoked for “principle violations” such as stealing or playing video games.
Zhang said in a video clip that online games were the primary source of conflict between him and his son, and he often resorts to corporal punishment to dissuade the boy from his habit.
“My son asked me to buy him an assembly toy set recently. I refused at first, saying we have plenty of similar toys at home,” Zhang said.
“But when he did very well on the test and was ranked first in his class, I made a cardboard plaque as an award and told him that this beating-free period would be valid for one month.
“If he performs well during this month, I will buy him the toy as a reward.”
Although Chinese law bans parents from hitting their children, corporal punishment is common in the country and is viewed by many as an important tool for parenting.
Instances of parents beating their children frequently go viral on mainland social media, sparking widespread debate about the effectiveness of corporal punishment in controlling behaviour.
For example, in July, an enraged mother in southeastern Anhui province slapped her 10-year-old son in his face several times before hitting herself while tutoring him.
The Shandong boy’s beating-free award also caused a buzz online, with one observer quipping: “You can play a lot of games this month, kid. Congratulations!”
Another person online felt more pity for the boy: “The award suggests the father beats his son a lot. I beat my son less than five times during his childhood. How poor this boy is!”
