BACKGROUND: Pro-social rule breaking (PSRB) is considered a positive deviant workplace behavior. In the Chinese context, paternalistic leadership (PL), combined with benevolent, moral, and authoritarian behaviors, appears to affect subordinates' internal psychology and external behaviors (e.g., PSRB). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between PL and PSRB in the Chinese context. It was also hypothesized that psychological empowerment (PE) and leader-member exchange (LMX) moderates the relationship between PL and PSRB, respectively. METHODS: Data were collected from 366 working adults in China. The participants provided their experience and perception in the workplace for the proposed research model. The reliability and validity of measurement scales were demonstrated. RESULTS:The results showed that the moral leadership dimension of PL negatively impacted PSRB, and the authoritarian leadership dimension of PL positively impacted PSRB. PE negatively moderated the relationship between moral leadership and PSRB and positively moderated the relationship between authoritarian leadership and PSRB. LMX positively moderated the relationship between authoritarian leadership and PSRB. CONCLUSIONS: The findings contribute to developing the theory of leadership style affecting PSRB. The implications for practice and future research directions were discussed.