Chinese Boy Swallows $1,400 Gold Bean: Medical Emergency and Recovery in Kunshan

An 11-year-old boy in China accidentally swallowed a gold bean valued at 10,000 yuan (1,406 dollars). His mother warned him not to go outside, saying it would be "too expensive". The incident occurred in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, in southeastern China, after a woman identified only as Ji purchased the 10-gram gold bean on October 17.

Just days after bringing the gold nugget home, on October 22nd, Ji's son began playing with it. While Ji was busy washing clothes on the balcony, the boy rushed in panicked, telling her he had swallowed the gold and feared for his life.

The boy explained that the accident happened while he was testing his tongue's strength. Initially, Ji thought her son was joking, but became concerned when she noticed the missing gold bean.

Ji recalled a similar incident when her niece had swallowed a coin. At that time, doctors had assured her it wasn't serious and would naturally pass through stool. This previous experience led Ji to take a less urgent approach this time. After researching online, she learned that gold could similarly pass through the digestive system.

Hoping to recover the valuable item, Ji instructed her son not to defecate outside, explaining that his feces were now "very expensive." Despite checking twice daily for five consecutive days, they couldn't locate the gold nugget.

Finally, on October 26, Ji brought her son to Kunshan's Fifth People's Hospital. During examination, doctors identified an object in the child's stomach, though he displayed no symptoms of pain or vomiting.

Later that day, the gold nugget was successfully removed. The South China Morning Post reported that it remains unclear whether the gold bean passed naturally or required medical intervention.

After the ordeal, a relieved Ji advised people to always store gold in secure locations and keep valuable items away from curious children.