Chinese Parents: Complete Guide

A practical guide to raising a successful (and reasonably happy) child in Chinese Parents: how turns, attributes, stress, Fragments, and skills work, how to handle events like the Face Duel and red envelopes, how the Gaokao and careers play out, and how to build a family over many generations, including the 2024-2026 additions (Heirlooms, the pet cat, and the Art Student route).

Researched September 2026 — current as of the August 15, 2026 content update (Art Student route and Four Seasons content), on the 2.0.x branch (latest numbered patch 2.0.1.5). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

• A run is a childhood. You guide a child from birth to the Gaokao (the university entrance exam) over a fixed number of turns (48 rounds). The "School 101" achievement pops at turn 13.
• Balance attributes against stress. Studying raises attributes but also raises stress. Too much stress blocks progress and triggers bad outcomes, so schedule rest.
• Fragments are how attributes grow. Studying feeds the Fragment mini-game, and doing well there means bigger gains. Take your time on these screens.
• Skills unlock stronger study options. Higher attributes let the child learn new skills, which unlock more advanced courses.
• Keep parental satisfaction up. The game tracks your parents' satisfaction alongside your stress. Events, results, and gifts all affect it.
• Your first run will not be perfect. The whole design is generational: your child grows up to become the next generation's parent, and their career, personality, and spouse shape the next child's starting attributes and pocket money.
• Start saving pocket money early. You spend it in the Shop (the achievement "Happy Mother's Day" is for buying your mother a gift), and "Richie Rich" needs ¥1,001 saved.
• New systems unlock in later generations. Heirlooms from the second generation, the pet cat from the generation after you update, and the Art Student route from your next generation after the August 2026 update.

Core Systems

Turns and scheduling

Each round you plan the child's study schedule, choosing what to learn and when to rest. Life events interrupt at set ages (kindergarten, primary school, middle school, high school), and holidays bring special events.

Scheduling rules of thumb:

• Alternate hard study with rest before stress gets high.
• Focus a few attributes rather than spreading thin; skills need thresholds.
• Plan ahead for known events (talent show, class elections, exams) by pre-building the attribute they test.

Life stages at a glance

The turn counter counts down toward the Gaokao. The breakdown below comes from a long-running Steam community guide written for the 1.x build; exact turn numbers can shift slightly in 2.0, but the order of events is the same.

Stage | Roughly | What opens up

Kindergarten (ages 3-4) | First ~10 turns | Naming, first parental expectations, early exams; interest classes (the Art Student route starts here in 2.0)

Primary school (ages 5-9) | Middle of the early game | Chinese, then Maths, then English as core subjects; part-time chores for pocket money; talent shows and Face Duels

Junior high (ages 10-15) | Middle game | Friends and romance, mood system, class elections, composition contests, first specialisation choice (science or liberal arts)

Senior high (ages 16-18) | Final ~12 turns | Later elections and contests, a second track decision, heavy exam prep, the Gaokao on the final turn

Recurring beats to plan around (per the same community guide):

• Parental expectations pop up every few turns and ask for a stat target by a deadline (for example, a set IQ by an early turn). Meeting them pays out stat bonuses or extra action.
• Life choices appear several times per run with three options, each trading stats against each other or against satisfaction. Some differ for a son or a daughter.
• Exams happen at fixed intervals. Results raise, keep, or lower your Face, the family's reputation, which in turn matters in Face Duels.
• The mood system unlocks in the middle game. Different moods give bonuses when absorbing specific Fragment types, so check mood before a Fragment round.

Action, work, and pocket money

• Action is the resource spent on social interactions and some activities each turn. Talking to a classmate costs a chunk of it, so you only get a few interactions per turn.
• Part-time work unlocks in primary school. Early chores pay only a few yuan; better-paid jobs need specific skills.
• The Shop sells entertainment items that trade money for stats and stress relief, gifts for friends and your mother, and a few items that unlock whole skill paths (community guides list items such as an MP3 player for music and a registration form for performing arts). Late-game study books give big multi-stat boosts right before the Gaokao, so bank money for them.

Attributes

The six core attributes:

Attribute | What it broadly affects

IQ | Academic subjects and exam performance

EQ | Social events, friendships, and some careers

Constitution | Physical activities, health-related events, and sports paths

Imagination | Creative subjects and artistic events

Memory | Rote-learning subjects and exam results

Charm | Social standing and relationship events

Achievements such as "Super Intelligent" (10,000 IQ), "Extraordinary Memory", "Unbound Imagination", "Overly Compassionate" (EQ), and "Godly Constitution" each require 10,000 in a single attribute. These are multi-generation goals; each generation starts stronger than the last.

Stress

• Studying adds stress; resting and fun activities lower it.
• High stress hurts your results and can trigger negative events.
• A well-rested child often gains more over a year than one pushed to the limit, because the Fragment and event bonuses stay strong.

Fragments

Fragments are the game's study mini-game: the store page describes raising stats "with Fragment mini-game", and higher stats then let the child learn new skills. Playing the Fragment screens well is how study effort turns into bigger attribute gains, so do not rush them. The Art Student route (August 2026) adds a brand-new type of Fragment that is unique to art courses.

Skills

Reaching attribute thresholds unlocks new skills, and skills unlock more advanced courses and options. Plan a skill path toward the career you want.

• Skill trees are linear chains. For example, the Chinese tree runs from pinyin to reading and writing to classical poetry and beyond. Each study session raises the linked stats and Face, but also stress.
• Core subjects unlock on their own in primary school; niche trees (music, anime, performing arts, ninja) need a Shop item first.
• Higher careers need deep trees, not just high stats. The community professions guide stresses unlocking the whole relevant skill tree before the Gaokao.

Traits

Children collect traits through events and choices. Trait collection is a long-term goal with achievements at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% ("Highly Experienced", "Die-hard Fan", "Trait Collectionist", "Collection Maniac"). The 2.0.1.5 patch (March 2025) fixed trait collection showing 100% but not unlocking the Steam achievement.

Events and Mini-Games

Event | What it is | Tip

Face Duel | A contest of "face" against annoying, cocky neighbours | Arrive with strong attributes and accomplishments to draw on

Red envelopes | A courtesy battle with relatives over red envelopes at New Year | Balance politeness and grabbing; "Grab The Red Envelope" is the first one

Talent show | Compete for prizes | "Fledgling" (Prize of Potential) and "Self-reliant" (Grand Prize)

Class President election | Run for class president | Charm and EQ help; "Class President" achievement

Composition contest | Writing competition | "Literary Genius" for the top prize; prioritise the relevant attributes and skills

Shop | Spend pocket money | Buy gifts for your mother for satisfaction and the achievement

Friends and Relationships

There are 14 friends in total to meet and get to know. Intimacy rises through interactions and gifts, and childhood friendships can carry into post-graduation outcomes.

• Friends unlock in junior high, some only after your child hits a stat threshold (a high IQ or EQ, for instance) or learns a certain skill.
• Each friend has favourite topics and gifts. Picking the right conversation option gives far more intimacy than a random one; experiment, then stick with what works.
• Close friendships give per-turn bonuses (stats or stress relief) that grow as the bond level rises, so a friend is also a long-term stat engine.
• Spouses leave permanent family bonuses. Community guides report that marrying a given character adds family talent bonuses that carry into every later generation.
• "Love Is In The Air" needs more than 90% intimacy with one girl.
• "Lady Wooer" needs an average intimacy above 20% with all of them.
• Relationship choices affect endings and who your child ends up with, which in turn influences the next generation.

The Gaokao, University, and Careers

• The Gaokao is the final exam at the end of high school. Your score determines which universities are open.
• There are over 100 career endings (the store page lists "over 100"; older sources said about 80). The career you land on depends on your attributes, skills, exam result, and choices.
• Careers matter for the next generation, not just the ending screen. Each career passes stat bonuses and a per-turn income to your next child. A community professions guide (maintained through July 2024) shows entry-level careers paying the next generation very little, while top careers such as Computer Scientist (needs around 10,000 IQ) or Superstar (high requirements across all six stats plus a Shop item) pay several times more and give large stat bonuses.
• Some careers are gated behind Shop purchases that open their skill tree (for example, a ninja headband for the ninja line). If you are targeting one, buy the item early.
• First-generation target: community players suggest a steady, reachable career over a long shot; a solid income and stat bonus snowballs across later runs.
• The Art Student route (August 2026): starting from your next generation after the update, enrol your child in interest classes in kindergarten to begin an art path. Basic art courses advance to professional art courses, and there is a separate art exam system independent of the Gaokao. To get into an art academy you need strong results in both professional courses and academic study. It has its own storylines, expectations, decisions, mini-games, and endings.

Generations and Inheritance

When a run ends, your child becomes the parent in the next generation.

• Career, personality, and spouse all affect the next child's base attributes and pocket money.
• Heirlooms (added in 2.0.0.4, July 2024): from the second generation, parents can buy heirlooms. They pass down through every generation, and each generation can choose which to wear for its effects.
• Pet cat (2.0.1.4, November 2024): from the generation after updating, a pet event lets you adopt a cat, with a dedicated scene for feeding and playing. Affection unlocks more content, and your bond affects certain endings.
• Four Seasons (August 2026): seasonal products and schedules tied to real-world time.
• Achievements: "New Beginning" (first playthrough), "Family Inheritance" (second), "Generation After Generation" (more than 5 generations), and "Persevere Through Generations" (more than 10).

Generational strategy:

• First generation: learn the systems; aim for a solid career and a good spouse match.
• Second generation onward: start buying heirlooms and pushing the attributes the family is strong in.
• Mid-generations: go after single-attribute 10,000 achievements, since starting stats compound.
• Try alternate routes (like the Art Student path) once the family has a strong base.

Versions and Save Compatibility

• Version 2.0 (2024) was a major overhaul. Old saves from version 1.0.9.7 are not directly compatible with 2.0.x; the developers posted an announcement explaining the differences and how to keep playing old saves.
• Patch 2.0.1.5 (March 6, 2025) fixed a save corruption issue that could prevent entering the game.
• If you hit a bug, the developers accept reports at mychineseparentsgame@gmail.com.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Maxing study every turn. Stress spirals and results drop.
• Spreading attributes evenly. Skills and events reward focus.
• Ignoring friends. Relationships feed endings and the next generation.
• Skipping the Shop. Gifts and items help satisfaction and stress.
• Expecting the first generation to be the best. The game is designed around compounding across generations.
• Missing the kindergarten window for the Art Student route. Enrol in interest classes early if you want that path.

Advanced Tips

• Pick one career target per generation and plan skills toward it from primary school.
• Save pocket money for key purchases instead of spending it all early.
• Use events as attribute checkpoints: if the talent show or composition contest is coming, bank the relevant attribute a few turns ahead.
• Marry strategically. Spouse choice shapes the next child's starting stats.
• Stack heirlooms that boost the family's focus attributes.
• Chase trait achievements across generations rather than trying to force them in one run.
• Traits are the real inheritance. Experienced players argue that family traits (from skills, Face Duel wins, and events) matter more over many generations than any single Gaokao score. Winning Face Duels in particular can grant lasting family traits.
• Check mood before Fragment rounds. Once moods unlock, time your study of a stat for the turn when the mood boosts that Fragment type.
• Use late-game study books. Save pocket money for the expensive exam-prep items sold near the end; they give large boosts to several stats at once right when the Gaokao needs them.
• Plan stress relief into the schedule, not as an emergency. A common community rhythm is mixing relief activities into every turn early on and tightening up only in the final turns before the exam.
• For "Lady Wooer", talk to every girl regularly rather than focusing on one; the goal is a 20%+ average across all of them.

FAQ

How many turns is a playthrough? A childhood runs 48 rounds from birth to the Gaokao.

Can I continue old saves on version 2.0? Old 1.0.9.7 saves need the method described in the developers' June 2024 announcement; the versions differ significantly.

How do I unlock the Art Student route? It becomes available from your next generation after the August 2026 update. Enrol your child in art interest classes during kindergarten.

How do I get the pet cat? It unlocks from the generation after your current one once you are on version 2.0.1.4 or later.

How many endings are there? Over 100 career endings, plus route-specific endings (such as Art Student) and relationship outcomes.

Is there a mobile or Switch version? Yes. Per Wikipedia it released on Windows on September 29, 2018 (Steam lists September 28 in Western time zones), Switch on August 20, 2020, and Android and iOS on May 11, 2022. It is also available on macOS.

Who made it? Moyuwan Games, a small Beijing studio (墨鱼玩游戏 on Steam). By June 2020 it had sold over 2.8 million copies, according to Chinese Wikipedia.

What is Face and why does it matter? Face is your family's reputation. Exam results and study raise or lower it, and it is what you draw on in Face Duels against the neighbours.

Sources

• Steam store page: Chinese Parents
• Steam news: Art Student update (Aug 2026), 2.0.1.5, 2.0.1.4, 2.0.0.4
• Steam global achievements list
• Wikipedia (English): Chinese Parents
• Wikipedia (Chinese): 中国式家长
• Steam community guide: English General Information for Gameplay (1.x-era turn map)
• Steam community guide: Guide to professions (requirements and benefits)
• Steam community guide: How to start your perfect family