The anthology of Iron Head's poem is entitled "Willow Is a Naughty Boy." (Photo : china.org.cn)
China's youngest poet, nine-year-old Liang Shengjie, has sent the Internet abuzz after writing controversial poems.
Known under the pen name "Iron Head," Liang has become an overnight sensation after the Tsinghua University Press published an anthology of his literary piece entitled, "Willow Is a Naughty Boy" (Liu Shu Shi Ge Chou Xiao Zi).
Liang, a fourth-grade student in Beijing, has started writing poems when he was six years old, after he was encouraged by his mother.
The book included 175 of the 270 pieces he has written so far.
An example of a poem that has raised many eyebrows is his "If Only Mom Is a Little Bitchy Cat," which included the lines: "I think mom is like a bitchy little cat/ Because she meets all the standards of a bitchy cat/Cats scratches/my mom does too/Cats is bitchy and always lean on me/Cats are like mom...mom is bitchy/I love you."
His works are constantly posted on a Weibo account (@Beautiful Iron Head), which has over 7,600 followers.
Commenting on the mentioned poem, Weibo user Zao Zao Wan Wan said, "I believe that many moms will fall in love with this little boy when they read this poem."
Another netizen, Zi You Tiao Yue De Tian Kong, posted, "How could such a thing come from a nine-year-old boy? Does he watch pornography?"
His other works, which revolved around the themes of desires and affections, also caused some online outcry.
Defending her son, Li Guijie said, "I think it is unfair to judge my boy just from one or two poems, as they do not represent his whole work."
"I know in one poem, he uses 'bitchy cat.' I thought it was impropriate [sic] and disrespectful at the first glance, but when I read the whole piece, I discovered that it reflected childhood simplicity. Children's world is pure and he only wants to describe my cat-like character," she added.
Tsinghua University Press editor Zhang Lihong also lauded the poet's works.
"His work is valuable in a way that it has nothing to do with adulthood. It has nothing to do with guidance or teaching, and it has no historical burden. It is just a kid's naughty heart riding on his colorful imagination," Zhang said.
