bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Alice Yan

A Chinese man who got lost at a railway station at the age of four and was adopted by a Canadian couple who abandoned him has been reunited with his biological father.
Zhang Yunpeng, 28, hugged his father Zhang Jiucheng and both of them burst into tears at the reunion event in Huinan county, Jilin province, northeastern China, on March 2.
“After more than 20 years, I saw you finally,” Zhang senior said, Jimu News reported.
The son replied with his rusty Chinese: “Dad, I love you.”

Zhang junior got lost at Shenyang Railway Station in northeastern Liaoning province in 2001, when his uncle left him for a short while to buy ice cream.
The boy was then sent to the municipal welfare centre, where he was given the name Shen Huabai.
In 2005, Zhang junior was adopted by a Canadian couple and taken to live with them in Canada. But three months later, his adoptive parents divorced and neither of them was willing to look after him.
Zhang was allocated by the local authority to live with a homestay family. However, he did not receive much care because the family already had nine children.
Zhang senior was in jail when his son went missing from the family. His wife left them and remarried.
Zhang Junior said after graduating from secondary school he had to make money to support himself.
Last year, Zhang contacted a mainland-based relative searching organisation, Baby Returning Home, to look for his birth parents after he saw some successful cases on social media.

The organisation asked Gao Yang, a Chinese PhD student in Canada, to help Zhang as a volunteer.
“When I saw him for the first time, he looked miserable and was extremely thin,” Gao was quoted as saying.
Zhang junior’s blood sample was sent to China’s national DNA database and several days later his biological parents were identified.
“The moment I saw his picture, I knew he was my son,” the father said. “He looks exactly like me. I do not need to do a double-check appraisal.”
Before meeting in person, Zhang senior transferred 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) to his son.
“I will try my best to compensate him. I will give the best things to him,” said the father.

Zhang junior has not been reunited with his biological mother yet. She lives in another province.
According to Gao, Zhang junior, a Canadian citizen, will return to Canada in a few weeks due to a visa issue. He has not made a plan for his future life.
More than 160,000 Chinese children were adopted by foreign families between 1992 and 2024, statistics from the country’s Ministry of Civil Affairs showed.
China terminated its intercountry adoption plan on August 28, 2024, except for foreigners who have a blood relation with children within three generations.


From net worth of US$580 to US$580 million, China school dropout builds steamed bun empire

‘Cyber confession room’ where China youth share struggles like financial problems gains traction

‘Thank you for coming to Okinawa’: Japan girl offers money to China tourist to pay bus fare

China woman, 63, gives birth to baby girl after conceiving via IVF following loss of only child

Trending in China

Chinese man adopted by Canadian family reunites with birth father after being abandoned

A Chinese man was recently reunited with his biological father after being lost at a railway station at the age of four before being adopted by a Canadian couple who later abandoned him. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Zhang Yunpeng’s biological father, above, is overcome with emotion at the reunion event. Photo: thepaper.cn

Zhang became lost in a busy railway station in China when he was just four years old. Photo: Xinhua

The skyline of the Canadian city of Vancouver. Zhang’s adoptive parents dumped him after they divorced. Photo: Shutterstock

China hospital calls in manicurist to remove woman’s fake nails before emergency treatment

A Chinese woman who suffered a heart attack had to have her press-on nails removed before she could undergo emergency treatment. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo

Lili’s fake nails, above, presented a dangerous impediment to her emergency treatment. Photo: Handout

A fingertip pulse oximeter is a small, non-invasive device that clips onto the finger to measure blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate. Photo: Handout

After the manicurist removed the fake nails, above, medical staff could proceed. Photo: Handout

Chinese man discovers gold particles in duck’s stomach, weighing 10 grams, worth US$1,800

A man in China made an astonishing discovery while slaughtering a duck: he found real particles of gold in its stomach weighing about 10 grams. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

This close-up image shows the tiny particles of gold lodged inside the duck’s stomach. Photo: Handout

The particles of precious metal once they had been extracted from the bird. Photo: Handout

A flock of ducks waddling around a farm. Some online observers have cast doubt over the authenticity of the find. Photo: Shutterstock

Customers look at gold rings in a Shanghai jewellery shop. In uncertain times the precious metal is increasingly being seen as a secure asset. Photo: Reuters 

China actress, 75, triggers debate by playing teenage girl in mini-drama, kissing young man

Chinese actress Liu Xiaoqing, 75, recently sparked controversy by portraying a young woman in a mini-drama and engaging in a passionate kiss with a male actor 30 years her junior. Photo: SCMP composite/YouTube/Sina

The most controversial scene features Liu’s character, rescued from a dungeon by King Jing, portrayed by 45-year-old Jin Jia, sharing a passionate kiss. Photo: Handout

To portray her teenage character, Liu reportedly uses make-up and beauty filters, complemented by her exceptional acting talent. Photo: Handout

Behind-the-scenes footage shows Liu and Jin, above, excitedly discussing the script and choreography for the kiss scene, clearly relishing their partnership. Photo: Handout

Liu has a history of sparking controversy, having previously played a 16-year-old princess at age 58 and a teenage bandit. Photo: Handout

Chinese man drives 900km for marriage proposal, hangs banner asking fellow drivers to make way

During the Chinese New Year travel rush on the mainland, a man hung a banner on his car saying, “Let me go first, I’m going to Guizhou to propose”, turning his proposal into a widely shared story online. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Tan’s car, with the red banner showing, gets up a head of steam as he continues on his romantic mission. Photo: Douyin

Tan, who runs his own business, waves at the camera during a stop-off along the way. Photo: Douyin

Tan prepares for the big proposal by taking some gifts for his girlfriend from the boot of his car. Photo: Douyin

Mission almost accomplished, Tan heads for the romantic rendezvous with the presents. Photo: Douyin

Why Chinese honour Toilet Goddess with straw effigies, rituals during Lantern Festival

During the Lantern Festival in China people honour the Toilet Goddess, Zigu, with life-sized straw effigies and rituals around toilets and kitchens. Photo: SCMP composite/Baidu/yahoo.com.tw

A small altar set up inside a toilet during the annual Lantern Festival. Photo: Weibo

A painting of the Toilet Goddess, Zigu, a deity whose legend stretches back centuries. Photo: Baidu

A woman pictured during the annual Lantern Festival celebrations. Photo: Getty Images

News

People & Culture

28-year-old who became lost in China railway station aged 4 was adopted by couple who took him home only to dump him when they divorced few months later


28-year-old who became lost in China railway station aged 4 was adopted by couple who took him home only to dump him when they divorced few months later.


Canada

Chinese man adopted by Canadian family reunites with birth father after being abandoned

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}28-year-old who became lost in China railway station aged 4 was adopted by couple who took him home only to dump him when they divorced few months later

28-year-old who became lost in China railway station aged 4 was adopted by couple who took him home only to dump him when they divorced few months later