'I feel like slapping her': Woman in China under fire for shaming dad who knelt down for not buying her iPhone

Upset that her father could not afford to buy an iPhone for her, a woman in China launched into a tirade against him.

The man then knelt on the street as an apology, much to the shock of passers-by.

The bizarre incident occurred in Shanxi province, China, on May 4, reported Chinese media.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the girl had said: "Other parents can buy their children an iPhone. Why don't you have the money?"

A clip of the incident circulating on Weibo and Douyin showed the father crawling on all fours while the woman pulled on his backpack, shouting: "Get up!"

The passer-by who filmed the video, surnamed Zhang, told media that the scene had made him feel wretched.

"I felt like walking up and slapping her," he added. 

The viral video, which was viewed 91 million times on Weibo and six million times on Douyin, led to netizens blasting the unbecoming behaviour of the father-daughter duo, reported SCMP. 

"The father knelt down and blamed himself for not being able to buy the mobile phone. While he was very pitiful, this action only exacerbates the child's rebelliousness and resentment," posted a Weibo user.

"He did not correct the child's wrong views and has failed to educate her."

Said another: "Actually, it's not wrong for a child to have pride and want a specific mobile phone, but it's wrong to insist on it when the family is unable to afford it."

"Let her (the woman) earn her own money and buy it by herself. Tell children that when they grow up, they have to work hard to realise their dreams," agreed a netizen.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com