CHINA: A Chinese scholar sparked a storm of criticism after suggesting that women who bear 10 children could live to be 100 years old.
The controversial statement, which was featured in an article from the South China Morning Post, was made by an anonymous professor from Inner Mongolia and has gone viral following its circulation on social media at the end of December.
During a lecture to students, the professor claimed that women who give birth are “blessed by God” and enjoy a longer life.
“After giving birth to a child, you will be blessed by God. It will let you live longer,” the professor said in a now widely circulated video clip.
He compared women with large families to career-driven women, stating that while the latter may be successful professionally, their longevity tends to be shorter.
He pointed to older women in rural villages who have had eight or more children and often live well into their 90s or even 100s, suggesting that such women are rarely afflicted by major health issues.
The remarks have triggered a massive online backlash, with many questioning the scientific basis of the professor’s claims.
“Do you have scientific evidence to support your point of view?” one online user demanded.
Another person criticized the dangerous implications of his words, saying, “Don’t you know there is a risk for a woman giving birth? Are those women who die during labour blessed by God?”
Many commentators also voiced frustration with what they perceived as pressure to have more children, given the high cost and the challenges of raising a family.
One woman posted, “The cost of raising children is so high, and it is tiring to educate a child. I have one child now and will not have more, whatever the experts or the government says.”
The professor’s identity and the name of his university have not been disclosed, though it was revealed that he also works as a doctor, earning an annual salary of 300,000 yuan (approximately $41,000).
This controversy comes at a time when China is grappling with a demographic crisis.
The country’s population shrank for the first time in 60 years in 2022, and the decline continued in 2023 with a drop of 2.08 million people.
China is experiencing an all-time low birth rate of just 6.39 births per 1,000 people, exacerbating fears about the nation’s ageing population and shrinking workforce.
To reverse these trends, the government has rolled out various initiatives, including financial incentives and tax cuts, but these measures have so far failed to stem the tide of demographic decline.
The professor’s comments are reminiscent of earlier controversial remarks, including those made by Wang Xianju, a professor at Renmin University in Beijing, who in December attracted criticism for asking a visiting Kazakh diplomat how to make Chinese women “obediently and submissively” have children.
As China’s fertility crisis deepens, these statements continue to fuel a wider debate about gender roles, family planning, and the pressures on women in modern Chinese society.
