In 2011, Shi Jinquan (石金泉) staged a fake scandal to raise money for a six-month-old girl suffering from eye cancer.
He pretended to be a wealthy man who promised her mother RMB 20,000 if she crawled on her knees for a kilometre. He then publicly humiliated her by refusing to pay, deliberately provoking public outrage to attract media attention and donations.
The plan worked: the family reportedly received over RMB 200,000 in donations.
However, when people discovered the deception, Shi was heavily criticised for manipulating the public and exploiting the mother's desperation. He later faced years of online abuse and professional difficulties.
Now, people revisiting the story are more sympathetic towards him.
His message: He never regretted trying to save the child, only regretted using the wrong method.
The story raises a difficult question: Was he a compassionate person who made a terrible mistake, or did the good intention fail to justify the deception?
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1157011413514481
https://www.bilibili.com/en/video/BV1gp4y1c7Zh/