A father who gained notoriety after footage of him forcing his crying four-year-old son to perform push ups in the snow, has been rescued after attempting to climb Mount Fuji.
Despite being told climbing season was over and that gale force winds were imminent, He Liesheng, along with son Duoduo and daughter Tiantian hopped over the barrier and began the trek, equipped with just a bottle of water and a chocolate bar.
Liesheng had intended to march to the 12,388ft summit and unfurl a banner claiming Chinese sovereignty of the disputed Senkaku islands, The Telegraph revealed.
He Liesheng and son Duoduo planned to unfurl this banner at the summit of Mt Fuji. It reads "I climbed Mt. Fuji! Strong youth, Strong China!"
But the stunt was aborted at 11,000ft after the trio, who were suffering from altitude sickness, had to be rescued by Japanese park rangers.
Liesheng, who speaks no Japanese, apparently remarked: "unlike a lot of Chinese mountains, Mount Fuji does not have steps."
He was heavily criticised in February after film emerged of him barking orders at his near-naked, sobbing son in the snow. Duoduo is in clear distress and begs his father for a cuddle as a passer-by trudges past in a heavy coat.
The clip was shot in New York on Chinese New Year, when temperatures were dipping to -13C.
Clearly distressed, the little boy begs his father for a hug
After the controversy, Liesheng's personal assistant told AFP: “The child agreed and before the run, he did half an hour of slow running to warm up.
“This child has received all sorts of forms of training since he was small. When he was one, he started swimming in water that was 21C.”
The little boy was apparently born prematurely with health problems including water on the brain, The Telegraph reported.
“But now he has no problems”, the PA added.
Despite accusations of child cruelty - with some branding Liesheng "cruel", "ignorant" and even "inhuman", he appeared in later footage in which he instructs the boy on how to sail alone in the open ocean.
He Liesheng's four-year-old son is being trained to sail
Addressing the camera, he says: “I think that after Duoduo has been through around half a year of this kind of training, he should have the ability to sail out into the open sea, with the coach nearby.
“Now he is wearing a lifejacket, and he can swim. So I think, in fact, although there is still danger, it is greatly reduced.
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“Only by placing him in a situation with strong winds and waves can he show his potential.”
Liesheng was christened “Eagle Dad” after the first controversy, in reference to the ‘Tiger Mum’ term sparked by the benefits of tough parenting embraced in China.