It's gruesome, but really common in East Asia (not just China). My roommate (from the Philippines) used to talk about how her mother made her kneel on rice.

Honestly, I find that the Chinese tend to go one way or the other when it comes to kids. Either they are tiger parents who cow their children into total, dysfunctional submission until they are quivering balls of perfection in the classroom, or they raise their kids to be hyper indulged brats who are told that they are the glowing white center of the universe that everyone-not just the family, mind you-should naturally orbit around. There is an in between...but so few parents go for it.