HEFEI - A middle school teacher in the Chinese city of Hefei has been suspended for slapping his students in the face, according to local media.

Hefei is the capital of Anhui, an eastern province in China.

In a video footage that has gone viral, the teacher is seen slapping 20 students one after another.

According to Beijing News, it was the first day back in school after the summer break.

The teacher had asked his students to write out a classical poetry from memory.

As punishment, he slapped them in front of the whole class for any mistakes made.

According to media reports, he had just been transferred to the school this month.