A Chinese father, identified only by his surname Ying, has become the center of a heated controversy on mainland social media for flaunting his wealth in a school chat group. The incident, which rapidly gained attention online, involves a conversation leaked from a group chat that included Ying, his son’s primary school teacher, and other parents.
In the chat, Ying expressed displeasure that his son wasn’t featured in a video of the students’ morning reading session at a private school in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. He boasted about his affluence, stating that his son “enjoys wealth and honor” and has a “distinguished name.” Ying claimed that the teacher wouldn’t be able to afford a house in his family’s name even with a salary of one million yuan per year for three decades, emphasizing his position as a CEO of a listed company.
This display of arrogance escalated when another parent urged him to be mindful of his image as a CEO, to which Ying dismissively responded that they could speak to him once they could afford one of his houses. He also bragged about his son’s global travels, highlighting the child’s experiences in over ten countries.
The conversation, which was shared on the news portal Chao News on November 23, quickly spread across Chinese social media platforms. Netizens speculated about Ying’s identity, linking him to a specific company, which later denied any connection. The school, Lanqing Primary School, declined to release further details about Ying, citing privacy concerns.
The reaction online was overwhelmingly critical of Ying’s attitude. Social media users condemned his braggadocio, with one commenter suggesting that a true CEO would not behave in such a manner. Others pointed out that genuine wealth often comes with humility and responsibility, contrasting Ying’s behavior with their expectations of a truly wealthy individual.
This incident mirrors a similar controversy from the previous year, where a Shanghai mother faced backlash for mocking her son’s teacher’s modest lifestyle. These cases have sparked wider discussions on social media about the values and behaviors associated with wealth in contemporary Chinese society, raising questions about the examples set for the younger generation and the importance of humility regardless of social status.
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