China boy touches hearts by wearing late mum’s photo at exam, then visits grave

SCMP | June 18, 2025, 2 a.m. | Original

A Chinese boy has touched hearts online after he wore a photograph of his late mother on his chest while sitting a crucial examination. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

A 19-year-old has moved millions of people online by wearing a photograph of his late mother while sitting for the most important exam of his life.

Chen, from central China’s Jiangxi province, took China’s national college entrance exam, also known as “gaokao”, from June 7 to June 9.

His father, Li Wenbo, said Chen wore black, a symbol of mourning, on the second day. On the last day of the test, he wore his late mother’s photo on his T-shirt.

Chen said he wore it in a position close to his heart so that his mother could sit the exam together with him.

Chen prepares to place flowers on the grave of his beloved late mother. Photo: Douyin
Chen prepares to place flowers on the grave of his beloved late mother. Photo: Douyin

His mother, Yu Jianfang, died from bile duct cancer three years ago, aged 37.

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