A boss from central China sparked online controversy after disclosing that he once fired an employee for excluding his mother from his wedding.

Cui Peijun, founder and chairman of Henan Kuangshan Crane Co., Ltd. in Xinxiang, Henan province, has gained a reputation online as “China’s most generous boss.”

At the annual company gala in February, Cui distributed 60 million yuan (US$8.8 million) in cash bonuses, with total year-end payouts reportedly exceeding 180 million yuan. He stated that higher pay could alleviate the financial pressures faced by young workers burdened by mortgages and car loans.

Since 2004, Cui has donated more than 35 million yuan in grants to over 4,800 university students from low-income families.

According to local media outlet Daxiang News, the company recruited 331 children of employees for a summer internship and training programme launched on July 21.