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A video of a Peking University (PKU) professor complaining about his daughter's poor grades recently went viral online.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Ding Yanqing, an Associate Professor of the university's Graduate School of Education, had posted on social media that he was "at a loss" to help improve her grades.

His daughter, a student at Peking University Primary School, is at the bottom of her class in terms of academic performance.

According to Ding, this is despite giving her tuition everyday, and having her study and do extra homework as practice after school.

Professor claims to be a prodigy but daughter not a 'wonder child'

In the viral video clip, Ding explains that both him and his wife had graduated from PKU, which is currently ranked as one of the top universities in China, and 23rd in QS World Global Rankings.

He called himself a prodigy, and claimed that he could memorise a Chinese dictionary by the time he was six.

While the parents are really book smart, Ding has since resigned to the fact that their daughter is a "mediocre student".

He added that the gap between her scores and that of the second-last student was very big.

Ding said that he could only accept that this is his "destiny".

According to SCMP, he said, "My daughter is definitely not a wonder child. Her IQ is far lower than both of us. What can I do if I don’t accept it?"

Relaxing the focus on academics

Ding had eventually decided to stop his "high-pressure" methods and plans to focus on identifying his daughter's other strengths.

Although his daughter's grades had improved with his guidance, Ding observed that his daughter had become anxious and depressed. The "high-pressure" methods also put a strain on their relationship.

In the video interview, Ding said, "Every child is unique. As parents, we cannot use a single benchmark to measure them."

He believes that the way forward is to find and develop the child's strengths and she can still become a "useful member in the society".

Netizens' response

The professor's video has since garnered over 470 million views on China's social media platform, Weibo.

According to SCMP, some users commented that they were glad that a PKU professor faced the same worries as "ordinary" parents, while others agreed that this is the reality.

Others were skeptical about what Ding said in relation to relaxing the focus on academics. They commented that it is easy to say, but hard to do for many parents in China, given that there remains a heavy emphasis on academic performance.

A good university degree is still seen as the prerequisite to achieving a decent job and life-at-large in China.

China's Gaokao, the nation's notorious college entrance examination begins next Monday, June 7. It is said to be one of the toughest examinations to crack in the world.

Top image via Weibo