In a deeply touching display of filial piety, a woman in China has gained significant attention on social media for taking care of her 90-year-old grandfather. The elderly man, unable to care for himself due to cancer, relies heavily on his granddaughter, Shen, for his daily needs. A video of Shen helping him bathe at their home in the southeastern province of Fujian has gone viral on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, as reported by the Hangzhou Daily.
Despite facing criticism from some quarters for bathing her grandfather, Shen has defended her actions resolutely on Douyin. She emphasized the challenges her grandfather faces due to his limited mobility and asserted that she feels no discomfort helping the man who raised her. “I don’t feel any discomfort washing my grandfather who brought me up,” she stated.
Shen’s grandfather has three daughters and a son. However, most of them work as migrant workers in other cities or are themselves unwell, leaving Shen as his primary caregiver. “My mother, one of my grandfather’s daughters, has a mental illness. I don’t know who my father is, and I have never seen him. My grandfather has raised me since childhood,” Shen explained.
Shen argued that she maintains her grandfather’s dignity by covering his private parts during bathing and pointed out that everyone will age and need help. “Every one of us will get old one day. So do not dislike or avoid old people,” she added.
The video, which shows Shen washing her grandfather’s head and upper body while he is sitting on a stool with his private parts covered by a towel, has been viewed over 40 million times on Douyin and Weibo.
While some viewers have accused her of exploiting her grandfather’s condition to attract followers, many have applauded Shen’s dedication and care for her family. Users have praised her compassion, with comments such as “You have a beautiful and clean heart” and “Girl, you are brilliant!” Some users have also expressed hopes that Shen can monetize her newfound online popularity to support her family.
The story underlines the fascination of mainland China’s internet users with tales of younger generations caring for the elderly, a pertinent theme given China’s rapidly aging population. In a similar vein, a video of a Chinese woman in her 30s braiding her grandmother’s hair went viral earlier in March, showcasing the importance of filial piety in Chinese society.
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