Key facts
- Olympic diver Zhang Jiaqi's mother, Xiao Yingjie, is facing criticism for controlling behavior revealed on a reality show.
- Zhang Jiaqi's earnings, including an 810,000 yuan prize, were managed by her mother from age 10 to 22.
- The reality show "My Little One" featured Xiao Yingjie criticizing Zhang Jiaqi's daily habits.
- Zhang Jiaqi stated she felt unloved by her mother and that her sports team, not her parents, raised her.
- Online commenters have labeled Xiao Yingjie's parenting as "toxic" and "narcissistic."
- A lawyer noted that competition bonuses earned by minors legally belong to the child in China.
Olympic diving champion Zhang Jiaqi's relationship with her mother, Xiao Yingjie, has ignited widespread debate online following their appearance on the reality television show "My Little One." The program, which follows female celebrities and their parents, revealed years of criticism and financial control exerted by Xiao over her daughter.
Zhang, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, revealed that her mother managed all of her earnings, including a 810,000 yuan prize received as a teenager, and held all three of her bank cards. This financial control persisted until Zhang's retirement last year. On the show, Xiao was seen repeatedly criticizing Zhang for minor issues such as letting cats on the table or drinking ice water, leading viewers to label her parenting as "toxic" and "narcissistic."
Zhang expressed that she often felt unloved by her mother and that her upbringing was more shaped by her diving team, which she joined at age six, than by her parents. She stated she "always hated" her mother as a child and believed she was raised by her team. Social media comments described the dynamic as "suffocating."
However, psychologist Li Songwei, who appeared on the show, urged against vilifying Xiao, describing the situation as "delayed adolescence" on her part. Li noted that Xiao had voluntarily enrolled in parent-child communication courses and apologized to her daughter. A lawyer, Chen Songtao, clarified that under Chinese law, competition bonuses earned by minors legally belong to the child, not their parents or guardians.