A young man who nearly stabbed his mother to death over an alleged row for money has aroused widespread concern over adequate moral education from China's loving yet high-demanding parents.

The mother, 52-year-old Gu, is still in hospital. [Guangzhou Daily]

The 25-year-old man, surnamed Wang, is accused of stabbing his mother nine times on arrival at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport after five years study in Japan on April 1.

The mother, 52-year-old Gu, narrowly survived and is still in hospital.

Wang told police his mother had started nagging him when she met him at the airport. "She said she'd rather die than give her son any more money," a police officer based at the airport said, quoting Wang.

Wang said his mind went blank, and he took out a knife from his luggage and started to stab her.

Wang was detained at the scene and could not be reached for an interview.

His mother, Gu, refused to recall how it happened in her ward at the People's Hospital in Pudong New District Wednesday. Her roommate said she cried continuously and had been unable to sleep.

Gu's brother-in-law described her as a very caring mother. "She had to borrow lots of money from friends and relatives for her son to study in Japan."

Gu earns about 80,000 yuan (12,248 U.S. dollars) a year selling clothes, but her son's tuition and living expenses in Japan were at least three times higher.

Police began a judicial appraisal on Monday of Wang's mental state, as relatives said he had shown unusual behaviors and complained of hallucinations before his return to Shanghai.

The result of the appraisal had not been released as of Wednesday.