Discipline gone wrong: Outrage in China after boy, punished to do 1,000 squats, suffers kidney failure

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3 days ago

A teenage boy in China suffered kidney failure and underwent a transplant after being forced to do 1,000 squats at a corrective school—raising serious concerns about excessive punishment and children's rights in disciplinary institutions. read more
A 15-year-old boy in southern China developed serious health complications resulting in a kidney transplant, after being made to perform 1,000 deep squats as punishment, prompting widespread criticism and public concern on Chinese social media.
The incident began in August 2023, when the boy, identified by the pseudonym Ajun from Guilin, Guangxi province, was found to have taken 3,500 yuan (US$500) in cash from a parked car. Due to being under the age of 16, the minimum for criminal prosecution in China, police sent him to Yongqing School for 'corrective education.'
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Ajun's father, Jiang Peifeng, said his son was about to begin his third year of secondary school and had been going through a difficult period. Believing intervention by authorities could be a constructive step, he allowed Ajun to be enrolled in the program.
'He was a bit mischievous but had never broken the law before. They did not tell me what he had done, they just said they would tell me once things became clear,' Jiang told Guangxi Daily News.
On September 13, Jiang received a call from the Central Hospital of Yongzhou informing him that Ajun had been admitted in critical condition and required urgent transfer to a higher-level hospital. Upon arrival, he found Ajun's body swollen and marked with sores.
Jiang later learned that around 20 days earlier, Ajun and another student had been subjected to physical punishment at the school. On September 1, a drill instructor surnamed Du ordered a group of students to perform deep squats. Ajun reportedly completed approximately 1,000 squats in about 45 minutes.
'The instructor made me do them with my hands clasped behind my head. I counted about 1,000. Afterwards, my legs were shaking and I could barely stand,' Ajun said.
Three days later, Ajun began noticing blood in his urine and swelling in his legs. Despite a diagnosis indicating kidney cysts, physical training sessions reportedly continued. During one morning session, he was reportedly slapped and kicked by the instructor and forced to remain standing.
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His health worsened, and he was diagnosed with kidney disease and a high level of urine in his blood. In June 2024, Ajun underwent a kidney transplant.
To cover nearly one million yuan in medical expenses, Jiang sold their home and took out a 450,000 yuan (US$63,000) bank loan.
Jiang later filed a lawsuit against the Yongzhou Public Security Bureau Lengshuitan Branch and Yongqing School. In March, forensic investigators concluded that Ajun's medical condition resulted from excessive physical punishment and classified him as having a level five disability.
On June 18, the Yongzhou Intermediate People's Court held a second trial for the case. A verdict has not yet been announced.
The incident has ignited strong reactions on Chinese social media.
One person said, 'What kind of idiot instructor gives out 1,000 squats? That is something even special forces would not survive.'