Father asks for punches, receives sympathetic pats

A Chinese man who offered himself as a "human punching bag" outside a busy Beijing subway station to raise medical fees for his son has evoked both sympathy and reflection across the country.

A picture of Xia Jun, from Nanchong, Sichuan province, that shows him standing in front of a collection box, along with two photos of his 2-year-old, chubby-cheeked son, found their way onto Sina Weibo last week.

Xia was seen standing quietly in front of the bustling Guomao station, one of Beijing's busiest, in the cold as commuters passed by. Words on his white T-shirt read: "Human flesh punching bag: 10 yuan ($1.60) per punch."