On May 20th, shocking news started to circulate on Chinese social media about a 9-year-old chess prodigy, Zhu Hongxin, who had recently reached the amateur 6-dan rank. It was reported that he tragically took his own life by jumping off a building on the evening of the 19th after enduring long-term abuse from his father. The news sent shockwaves across the internet.
The online circulation of screenshots from various group chats and posts from netizens showed that Zhu Hongxin jumped off a building and passed away at 8:46 p.m. on May 19th. The reason for his actions was suspected to be related to losing a game during the “Mingshi Cup” National Children’s Go Open held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang in May.
It was claimed that Zhu Hongxin accidentally lost the final game, leading to missing out on the championship. His father reportedly kicked him to the ground and repeatedly kicked him in the chest in a fit of rage, causing Zhu Hongxin intense pain. He couldn’t get up and was too afraid to make a sound. Other parents on the scene intervened to stop the violence, nearly falling victim to Zhu Hongxin’s father’s aggression. The prolonged abuse took a toll on Zhu Hongxin’s physical and mental well-being, ultimately leading him to take his own life. Currently, Zhu Hongxin’s father has been taken into custody by the authorities.
However, according to official tournament records, despite losing that particular game, Zhu Hongxin still managed to achieve first place in the Children’s C Group with a high score of 88 points.
The news of Zhu Hongxin’s suicide sparked outrage online. Netizens expressed disbelief, questioning how such a father could exist, criticizing the lack of awareness from the Go Association about the abuse suffered by their players, and condemning the unfit parenting of individuals who see their children merely as tools for personal accomplishment.
Reportedly, Zhu Hongxin was a rare young genius. In 2023, at the age of only 7, he won the “Hunnan Cup” National Children’s Go Open for preschoolers with a perfect record of nine wins, making him the youngest player in Fujian. Zhu Hongxin was admitted to the “Hangzhou Intelligence Sports Vocational School,” equivalent to a middle school, ahead of schedule. Just last month, at the age of 9, he had reached the amateur 6-dan rank, with a promising future ahead that was tragically cut short.
A fellow villager of Zhu Hongxin revealed in a video comment that his father had a bad reputation in the village, having been through two marriages where both wives left due to domestic violence. Zhu Hongxin, born to the second wife, seemingly couldn’t be taken away from the abusive father’s grasp.
According to insiders, Zhu Hongxin’s father would accompany him to every competition, resorting to physical abuse if he lost a game, regardless of the location. After one match, Zhu Hongxin’s father even resorted to physical violence against him, only stopped by security guards.
Some netizens uncovered Zhu Hongxin’s father’s social media account, revealing that most of his posts were related to his son’s competitions and victories. Photos showed Zhu Hongxin rarely smiling, even when achieving success, maintaining a solemn expression indicative of inner turmoil. A post from last July depicted Zhu Hongxin as physically frail with bruises on his arms, indicating possible abuse from his father. Netizens even discovered a post from when Zhu Hongxin was still a baby where his father wrote, “If you misbehave, I’ll spank you.”
According to online revelations, the day before Zhu Hongxin’s tragic incident, his father updated his social media with complaints about his son’s performance in the competition, showing no signs of tenderness or comfort towards his child.