Vincent's parents 'never say he's good enough' - so he turned to a middle-aged couple online

Vincent's parents 'never say he's good enough' - so he turned to a middle-aged couple online 2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Eunice Yang Hong Kong BBC / Andro Saini On social media, many young Chinese leave comments to "virtual parents", sharing stories with them and asking for blessings During mealtimes, Vincent Zhang, a tech worker in Shanghai, has a habit of whipping out his phone to check on his "virtual parents": a middle-aged couple online, armed with an endless stream of warm words for their imaginary child. In one of their most popular videos, the pair coos to the camera. "Are you tired from work and study lately? Don't push yourself too hard. Mum and Dad know that you have endured a lot." In the comments, many call the couple mum and dad, telling them about their lives and asking for birthday blessings. With nearly two million followers on Douyin – China's version of TikTok - Pan Huqian and Zhang Xiuping are among a niche group of content creators called "virtual parents". They have exploded in popularity, drawing young Chinese followers who feel increasingly squeezed between the pressure of succeeding and the expectations of their families. "My parents are never the ones who tell me not to drive myself too hard or that I am already good enough," says 33-year-old Vincent. "But virtual parents will ask me whether I am happy today." The vlogger, Pan, says he has felt the impact of his videos on viewers. He told Douyin in a 2024 interview that he understood some of their pain because he too had a difficult childhood. At the age of 14, he says he left home to become the family's breadwinner after his mother was paralysed: "I left home for 33 years, and my parents have never said a word of encouragement." Pan says he was determined to create a different family atmosphere after his daughter was born, making sure that he always told her that he loved her. His daughter regularly features in the couple's videos. All of this resonates with Vincent. The Shanghai-based web developer says he finds the weekly calls with his parents stressful. They often criticise his career choice because they believe a government job would be more stable. And they ask him when he's bringing a girlfriend home. "From the moment the phone call begins, all my actions and choices are wrong, and something to be corrected by them." Getty Images A mother hugs her daughter ahead of the highly competitive National College Entrance Exam Zhao belongs to a generation of Chinese youth who have grown up during an economic boom, after their country became the world's second-largest economy. Their grandparents lived through gruelling crises - famine in the 1950s, and the violent purges of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s - and their parents grew up in a country that was still emerging from those shadows as it opened up to the world. Zhao's generation, however, enjoyed stability, prosperity and a far better standard of living. But China has also become much more