BEIJING • A woman in eastern China's Jiangxi province reportedly cut off her son's penis to "get back at her husband's family", Chinese media reported.

The boy, identified by Chinese news site Sina.com as Xiao Wen, is no longer in critical condition.

The incident occurred recently in Chongren county in Jiangxi's Fuzhou city.

Xiao Wen was taken to a hospital by his grandparents with his trousers soaked in blood. Doctors performed a phalloplasty (penis construction surgery) on him, and his condition has stabilised, Sina.com reported on Wednesday.

He will likely experience some difficulties in penile functions, doctors said. However, he may still be able to have children in the future if he recovers well.

The boy's paternal grandmother told Chinese media that the woman had left the family over a year ago, and married someone else.

The motives behind her actions are unclear.

Netizens expressed outrage over the incident, with many slamming the mother for "being sick". One person wrote: "If you have any grudges, go look for the adults. Why do you hurt your own son?"

Police investigations are ongoing.