For over a decade, Youxue spent her life searching for answers about her past. The 38-year-old Chinese American woman was given up by her parents in Ma'Anshan, China, and adopted by an American couple in 1994. Despite numerous attempts to connect with her biological family through social media, DNA testing, and local newspapers, Youxue hit a dead end, only to be told that she had been misidentified. Devastated, she deleted all of her messages and photographs with the false match, realizing too late that she could have used them as leads for future investigations.
Undeterred, Youxue continued her search. In 2011, she appeared on China's reality show "Wait for Me," which helped connect missing children with family members. Later that year, a new searcher reached out and said someone had seen her footage and wanted her to be featured again. This time, one family matched everything: both parents had Youxue's blood type, and they even knew what was on the note left with the baby.
However, when Youxue traveled to Shanghai in 2025 to meet her biological sister and brother-in-law, she discovered a shocking truth. Her birth date was eight months off from what the documents said, and her family had been pressured by her grandparents to have a son. Most Chinese families didn't even have access to clean water until the 2000s, and many lived in abject poverty.
In recent years, more Chinese adoptees have begun looking for their birth families, often using consumer DNA tests like 23andMe and AncestryDNA. The National Reunion Database was launched in China, allowing anyone to submit their DNA to try to find family members. With the help of social media and face recognition technology, reunions are becoming more common.
For Youxue, every reunion proves that the past is not sealed off forever. After 14 years of searching, she is now in regular contact with her birth family. When talking about her story, her face brightens. She runs a nonprofit organization creating online groups and in-person meetups for adoptees, including one still missing female cousins.
The circumstances surrounding Youxue's relinquishment are heartbreaking. Her parents' decision to give her up was likely driven by poverty and the country's one-child policy, which turned family planning into state-mandated decisions about which children were allowed to exist. The lack of documentation connecting Chinese adoptees with their birth families makes reunions increasingly difficult.
Youxue's story highlights the complexity of adoption and the power of DNA testing in modern times. It also underscores the importance of supporting adoptees as they navigate their search for answers about their past, often finding unexpected connections to their biological families along the way.
Undeterred, Youxue continued her search. In 2011, she appeared on China's reality show "Wait for Me," which helped connect missing children with family members. Later that year, a new searcher reached out and said someone had seen her footage and wanted her to be featured again. This time, one family matched everything: both parents had Youxue's blood type, and they even knew what was on the note left with the baby.
However, when Youxue traveled to Shanghai in 2025 to meet her biological sister and brother-in-law, she discovered a shocking truth. Her birth date was eight months off from what the documents said, and her family had been pressured by her grandparents to have a son. Most Chinese families didn't even have access to clean water until the 2000s, and many lived in abject poverty.
In recent years, more Chinese adoptees have begun looking for their birth families, often using consumer DNA tests like 23andMe and AncestryDNA. The National Reunion Database was launched in China, allowing anyone to submit their DNA to try to find family members. With the help of social media and face recognition technology, reunions are becoming more common.
For Youxue, every reunion proves that the past is not sealed off forever. After 14 years of searching, she is now in regular contact with her birth family. When talking about her story, her face brightens. She runs a nonprofit organization creating online groups and in-person meetups for adoptees, including one still missing female cousins.
The circumstances surrounding Youxue's relinquishment are heartbreaking. Her parents' decision to give her up was likely driven by poverty and the country's one-child policy, which turned family planning into state-mandated decisions about which children were allowed to exist. The lack of documentation connecting Chinese adoptees with their birth families makes reunions increasingly difficult.
Youxue's story highlights the complexity of adoption and the power of DNA testing in modern times. It also underscores the importance of supporting adoptees as they navigate their search for answers about their past, often finding unexpected connections to their biological families along the way.
it's like you can feel her pain and resilience all over again... I mean, 14 years of searching and what happens? She finally gets a lead, only to find out that everything was wrong 
. But you know what? That didn't stop her! She kept going, and now she has a whole new family waiting for her in Shanghai 
.
. It's heartbreaking that these children were given up without any real options or support. But at the same time, I'm so inspired by Youxue's determination and her new connection with her birth family 
.
it's like she's spreading love and hope all over the place. And can we talk about the importance of DNA testing in modern times? It's like, this technology has completely changed the game for adoptees who are trying to find their roots 
.
. and yeah, it's heartbreaking to think about all those years of searching only to have the truth be more complicated than we expected 
... still, I think it's a beautiful reminder that we never know what life has in store for us until we take a chance and reach out 
I think it's so brave of her to keep searching even after being told she was misidentified before. She never gave up! 
Keep shining, Youxue! We're all cheering you on! 
like, what happens when ppl try to find their birth fams after all these yrs? do they know who's legit & who's not? 
. It just goes to show that even when things seem impossible, technology can bring people together in amazing ways. So, yeah... let's keep pushing forward and try to make adoption and reunions a little easier for everyone involved 
. I mean, 14 years is ages in waitin' time! It's crazy how social media and DNA testing can change everything, but also highlight how broken some of these systems are 
. The Chinese one-child policy was so messed up, it's no wonder people were willin' to give their kids away in hopes of a better life 
. But now that Youxue's found her family, she's doin' some great things to help others find theirs too - I love it 
. And honestly, it's kinda sad that Chinese families didn't have access to basic things like clean water until the 2000s... it just makes me wanna give everyone a big hug and be all supportive 
. And I love that she's started her own nonprofit to help other adoptees find their roots... it's just so inspiring 
And what's up with the National Reunion Database in China - is it really as simple as just submitting your DNA to try to find family members?
. And yeah, it's messed up that some families would pressure them into having a child just because they wanted a boy 
. Anyway, I think it's awesome that Youxue is using her experience to help others - creating online groups and meetups for adoptees is such a great way to build connections and support each other 
with the whole birth date thing... still glad she got to meet her siblings tho