“Now that you’re home, just relax and be comfortable. Try this steamed fish. I hope it’s not too salty,” Mr. and Mrs. Pan said in their video posted on Douyin (China’s TikTok) on May 9. It depicts a heartwarming family scene: the middle-aged couple has prepared a lavish dinner to warmly welcome their beloved daughter Diandian. The video is accompanied by the heartfelt message, “If you are tired, hurry back home. Mom and dad have prepared a tasty meal waiting for you.”
This is just one of nearly 100 similar videos that Pans have shared on Douyin. Mr. Pan, a 50-year-old wedding photographer, and his wife reside in a small city in Shaanxi Province with their daughter, Diandian, who is in her early 20s. Last September, the couple created a Douyin account called “Sharing Daily Moments with Our Daughter” and began posting videos showcasing their family life.
Through these videos, viewers are presented with an optimistic, caring and ever-smiling couple who deeply love and respect their daughter in every way. Touched by these videos, many young netizens expressed their desire for the Pans to be their parents, affectionately referring to them as “Mom and Dad” and adopting them as their “digital parents.” The Pans also create videos specifically for their “dear sons and daughters,” offering encouraging and supportive words in a caring and parental tone.
In recent years, there has been a growing public focus on Chinese family dynamics, with people gathering online to share their stories of parental disappointment, disrespect and even instances of physical and mental abuse. The Pan family, on the other hand, represents the idealized vision of loving and supportive parents and a harmonious family. Consequently, the couple’s Douyin account has amassed over 1.16 million “digital sons and daughters.”
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