The 36-year-old man, surnamed Zhuo, sold his son for USD 10,400 through a broker in his village in Suining County of the eastern Jiangsu Province on October 3, 2011.
The baby was born on September 6, 2011.
Zhuo, a college graduate, had accumulated debts from his gold-related business, state run Xinhua news agency reported.
He confessed in court that he paid USD 8,163 to his creditor and spent the rest of the money.
His wife Xiaoyun however complained to police in Yueqing, a county-level city in Zhejiang two months after the deal.
The baby was eventually returned to his mother.
Xiaoyun said in court that she reported Zhuo because she was "very sad and missed her son very much."
Zhuo told the court in Zhejiang province that he regretted his actions and felt ashamed to face his wife, son and his mother.
He was also fined for USD 1,600 by the court.
