The Li Haoshi scandal sheds light on a complex interplay of factors, including the working conditions within the Chinese comedy industry, the expectations placed on performers in China’s entertainment realm, and the significant role of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in shaping Chinese nationalism. A deep dive by What’s on Weibo.

Humor is no joking matter. While the business of humor can be competitive and challenging no matter where you are in the world, there are some special considerations and implications for working in humor in China.

This week, Chinese comedian Li Haoshi (李昊石), who performs under the name ‘House’, experienced firsthand that there are strict limitations to what can be openly satirized or joked about in China today. When one of his jokes about two stray dogs described them by referencing a famous People’s Liberation Army (PLA) slogan, he found himself at the center of a social media storm. One related hashtag received over 1.1 billion views on social media platform Weibo this week.

The phrases used in the comic skit, with Li saying they came to mind while watching the dogs chasing a squirrel, were: “Forge exemplary conduct, fight to win.” The lines are part of the PLA slogan “Follow the Party! Fight to win! Forge exemplary conduct!” (“听党指挥，能打胜仗，作风优良!”), which was used by Xi Jinping in 2013.

Li Haoshi was not just socially canceled by angry netizens who defended the honor of Chinese soldiers and slammed the comedian for being so unpatriotic, he also saw his career go up in flames. His shows were called off, he was banned from social media, his employer was fined more than $2 million, he was blacklisted under orders of the China Performing Arts Association (CAPA), and he is now under official investigation.

Following the controversy, there were different views on Chinese social media regarding the issue (read more here). Although the majority of commenters argued that the PLA is never to be joked about, some people also lamented that online discussions lacked nuance.

This scandal sheds light on a complex interplay of factors, including the working conditions within the Chinese comedy industry, the expectations placed on performers in the Chinese entertainment world, and the important role played by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in shaping Chinese nationalism.

HUMOR AND STAND-UP COMEDY IN CHINA

Humor has played a prominent role in Chinese language and culture for centuries, manifested through a diverse array of jokes and humorous texts. Professional comedians, who served to entertain the aristocrats, have been around since as early as 800 BC.

Although humor has always been there, it has not necessarily always been appreciated. Confucianism has played a significant role in devaluing humor in China, as it formally regarded humor and satire as inferior forms of aesthetic expression. Chinese rulers who did not tolerate criticism or dissent also could not appreciate jokes or comics which, in any way, went against their rule and authority (Sullivan & Sullivan 2021, 102; Yue 2008, 403-413).

In the early days of modern China, following the collapse of the Qing dynasty, there was a notable resurgence of various forms of humor and jokes that spanned two decades, including cross-talk (xiàngsheng 相声) and skits (xiǎopǐn 小品). It was during this period that the Mandarin word “yōumò” (幽默) was introduced, derived from the English term “humor.” This term was coined by the renowned Chinese writer and translator Lin Yutang (林语堂), who faced the challenge of finding an exact Chinese translation for the English word (Hsu 2015, 2).

For decades, from the founding of People’s Republic of China to the Anti-Rightists Movement and the Cultural Revolution and beyond, there was not much yōumò around. As described by David Moser (2004), the constraints imposed by the Party and political sensitivities severely limited the content and topics that comedians could explore.

The comparatively relaxed political atmosphere of the post-Mao era gave rise to novel forms of humor and comedy. In subsequent years, influenced by the United States, “stand-up comedy” (tuōkǒuxiù 脱口秀) also gained popularity. Initially originating in small bars or cafes in major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, this comedic genre swiftly spread across the nation.

But similar to numerous other performance forms in China, stand-up comedy faces challenges in maintaining its spontaneity and provocative nature. Performers and comedy clubs are required to obtain licenses and gain script approval, while also navigating strict boundaries regarding politically sensitive topics that are strictly off-limits (Sullivan & Sullivan 2021: 102).

This does not mean that stand-up comedy is not thriving in China. On the contrary, the genre has only become more popular over recent years as stand-up comedy performers skillfully navigate the boundaries of what is acceptable by employing different techniques, such as irony, self-deprecation, and surreal humor to offer alternative perspectives within the permitted discourse (see: Chen and Gao 2023). In doing so, Chinese stand-up comedy has evolved beyond its American influences and embraced more traditional Chinese comedic language techniques from xiàngsheng and other performing arts.

In today’s landscape, Chinese comedians face a multitude of boundaries beyond just political ones. Operating within an environment where cultural and commercial factors hold significant sway, it becomes almost inevitable for popular performers to encounter controversy at some point in their careers. Authorities, audiences, sponsors, or companies may take offense at the content of their comedic expressions, adding further complexity to their navigation of these boundaries.

Li Dan, Papi Jiang, and Yang Li previously also faced criticism for their “inappropriate” or “vulgar” jokes.

The online comedian Papi Jiang (Papi酱), for example, saw her videos being taken offline in 2016 for containing “vulgar language and content,” after which she vowed to choose her words more carefully in the future. Female stand-up comedian Yang Li (杨笠), also known as the “punchline queen,” was dismissed as the spokesperson for American tech company Intel in 2021 for her jokes that allegedly insulted men. The popular talk show host and comedian Li Dan (李诞) sparked controversy for promoting female underwear brand Ubras with a slogan that was deemed sexist.

In such a working environment, it is difficult to fathom that the 31-year-old Li Haoshi, who had previously appeared on the immensely popular stand-up comedy competition show “Rock & Roast” Season Four, was unaware that his reference to a PLA slogan would surpass the acceptable boundaries. However, like many comedians, he may simply have been testing the limits.

THE POWER OF PERFORMERS

Another factor that comes into play when exploring the reasons behind the ‘House’ scandal is the special role attributed to Chinese performers.

Although Chinese performers and renowned names in the cultural industries have always been seen as fulfilling an exemplary role, this notion holds even greater significance in the era of social media, where Chinese performers and celebrities wield tremendous influence in an online environment with over one billion internet users. The rapid growth of online entertainment-focused apps and platforms has also created opportunities for unknown performers to achieve overnight fame.

There have been various studies about celebrities in China. One study from 2019 by Sullivan and Kehoe highlights the complexity of China’s celebrity scene. Because while the industry flourishes, it still operates under strict regulations imposed by both the state and industry stakeholders. Additionally, moral values play a significant role in shaping the industry. Sullivan and Kehoe argue that the state, through media and cultural industries, retains control over the symbolic economy within which celebrities operate (2019, 242).

Channeling public opinion and safeguarding social stability are priorities for Chinese authorities, and the influence of Chinese celebrities is often used to promote Party ideology and policies. While authorities encourage Chinese famous performers to act as positive role models, negative news surrounding the country’s popular stars is often perceived as having a “negative social impact” or a “bad influence on public morale.”

There are some some noteworthy instances that exemplify the significance of moral values and the role of Chinese celebrities as role models. One such example occurred in 2019 when Roy Wang (Wang Yuan 王源), a young Chinese singer and actor widely regarded as one of the country’s most influential teenagers, found himself embroiled in controversy after being caught smoking during a restaurant dinner in Beijing.

The incident surrounding Wang’s smoking quickly ignited a firestorm on Chinese social media. The controversy stemmed from two main factors. Firstly, Beijing had implemented a ban on smoking in all public indoor spaces since 2015, making Wang’s actions a violation of the law by lighting up in a restaurant. Additionally, as an influential teen icon, Wang held the responsibility of being a role model to his numerous fans, amplifying the impact of his behavior.

The idea that China should “raise the bar” for becoming a celebrity was widely propagated in 2021. In that same year, the China Association of Performing Arts (CAPA) officially released new guidelines for Chinese performers aimed at promoting adherence to the principles of “social morality.” According to these guidelines, performers could face a permanent ban from their profession if they fail to comply.

The guidelines are meant to “promote the healthy development of the performer industry” and lay out the “practice norms,” which stipulate that performers, among other things, should abide by national laws and regulations, should honor their contracts and comply with copyright laws. But they also stipulate that they should “love the motherland and support the Party’s line and policies” (“热爱祖国，拥护党的路线方针政策”), “persevere in the orientation that literature and art should serve the people and socialism” (“坚持文艺为人民服务、为社会主义服务的方向”), and “actively uphold a positive image” (“积极树立正面形象”).

By joking about the PLA, Li Haoshi violated some of the rules laid out by CAPA. His severe punishment not only demonstrates to the public that Chinese performers/celebrities should abide by the same laws as ordinary citizens – if not be held to even higher moral standards, – it also serves as a cautionary message to other entertainers, urging them not to overstep boundaries and to uphold their responsibility as public figures to positively impact public morale.

THE SACRED PLA

In addition to Li Haoshi’s position as a stand-up comedian and his role as a performer/celebrity, another significant aspect of this controversy revolves around the status of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in contemporary China. PLA soldiers are revered as the heroic “soldier sons of the people” who display unwavering loyalty to the Party and the nation.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was founded in 1927, with Mao Zedong counted among its founders. It played a crucial role in the rise of the Chinese Communist Party and the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

In addition to its core duty of protecting the country and conducting military operations, the PLA is also involved in other tasks such as peacekeeping efforts and disaster relief. However, its primary and most significant role is to serve as the military branch of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and ensure the CCP’s continued leadership in China. By safeguarding China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity, the PLA carries both a military and symbolic significance.

The PLA plays a major part in Chinese nationalist discourses, while simultaneously also playing a central role in driving nationalism in China. Whether it is the social media spectacle of China’s Taiwan military exercises or ‘100.000 soldier loving girls‘ during the Wuhan floods, the PLA acts as “a bridge between nationalism as an abstract ideological concept and as an everyday concern of the people for the security of their country” (Ji 2004, 248).

Military propaganda, often disseminated online, is important in reinforcing the image of PLA soldiers as guardians of the nation. When four Chinese PLA soldiers were killed during a border clash with Indian troops in 2020, Chinese state media outlets made noteworthy efforts to shape the ways in which the soldiers are to be remembered, blending political and personal elements while lauding their unwavering patriotism. In doing so, they posted their photos along with phrases such as “The place where I stand is China” and “I will defend the motherland with my life.”

Those insulting the PLA can face serious consequences under the “Heroes and Martyrs Protection Law” which was introduced in 2018. In 2021, former Economic Observer journalist Qiu Ziming (仇子明), along with two other bloggers, were the first persons to be charged under the new law as they were detained for “insulting” the Chinese soldiers. Qiu, who had 2.4 million fans on his Weibo page, made remarks questioning the number of casualties China said it suffered in the India border clash. He was sentenced to eight months in prison.

Li Haoshi’s faux-pas is particularly sensitive because the lines used in his joke indirectly made a comparison between PLA soldiers and stray dogs, while also placing words famously used by Xi Jinping in a ridiculous context. Additionally, as highlighted by Chinese bloggers and China Digital Times editor Alexander Boyd, Li’s joke potentially alludes to a scene from the 1956 Chinese war movie Battle on Shangganling Mountain (上甘岭) during the Korean War, where soldiers were depicted chasing after a squirrel. The intention of the scene was allegedly to showcase the kind-hearted nature of the brave soldiers of the Volunteer Army.

Was Chinese comedian Li Haoshi, with his controversial dog-chasing-squirrel joke, alluding to this squirrel-chasing scene from the famous 1956 Chinese Korean War movie "Battle on Shangganling Mountain"? Various Weibo bloggers claim that there is a connection. pic.twitter.com/2AjQKeIhVD

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) May 21, 2023

Some people believe that Li Haoshi was purposely alluding to that scene with his joke, and in doing so, insulted China’s Korean War ‘martyrs,’ which is illegal under the martyr defamation law. That would be a serious offense. In 2022, former investigative journalist Luo Changping was sentenced to seven months in prison and ordered to make a public apology for insulting Chinese soldiers portrayed in a blockbuster movie about the Korean War.

Whether or not Li intended to make such a connection or put much thought into his joke remains uncertain. However, many netizens are angry with Li for various reasons. Chinese nationalists defend the honor of their hero soldiers, while others blame Li for not respecting the boundaries within which he should operate.

Furthermore, Li’s colleagues, Chinese stand-up comedians, are also upset that he took the risk of making a politically incorrect joke, which has put the entire industry under scrutiny. This incident has created more tension for other performers in an already challenging work environment.

On Chinese social Q&A platform Zhihu, one experienced stand-up comedian performer from Shandong shared his view on the matter, suggesting that Li has brought harm to their industry:

“For commercial performances, our lines have to first have to go through a script reading meeting, they will then go through 4-6 open rounds of ‘polishing,’ and then go through the script polishing of the copywriters working for the show. (..) Moreover, the words and phrases we use in our jokes must have a contextual understanding and source. Therefore, there is no way that Li Haoshi was not aware of the history and origin of the sentences he used.

At the same time, all of our jokes in commercial performances require approval. Therefore, Li Haoshi obviously knew that this particular joke wouldn’t pass the approval, so he intentionally didn’t submit it. This is not a case of ignorance, it is simply being malicious.”

Overall, Li Haoshi’s case serves as a warning to others to be cautious with their words, whether used during performances, talk shows, interviews, or online.

Jokes are not to be taken lightly in a media environment where every line carries weight. When humor becomes such a serious matter, it becomes increasingly challenging to stay funny.

By Manya Koetse

References (other online sources hyperlinked in text)

Chen, Dan, and Gengsong Gao. 2023. “The Transgressive Rhetoric of Standup Comedy in China.” Critical Discourse Studies 20 (1): 1-17.

Hsu, Pi-ching. 2015. Feng Menglong’s Treasury of Laughs. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill.

Ji, You. 2004. “Nationalism, the Chinese Defence Culture and the People’s Liberation Army.” In: Leong H. Liew and and Shaoguang Wang (eds), Nationalism, Democracy and National Integration in China, pp. 247-268. London: RoutledgeCurzon.

Moser, David. 2004. “Stifled Laughter: How the Communist Party Killed Chinese the Chinese Humor Form of Xiangsheng.” Danwei.org http://www.danwei.org/tv/stifled_laughter_how_the_commu.php, accessed via https://www.academia.edu/5929719/Stifled_Laughter_How_the_Communist_Party_Killed_Chinese_the_Chinese_Humor_Form_of_Xiangsheng [20 May 2023].

Sullivan, Lawrence R. and Nancy Sullivan. 2021. Historical Dictionary of Chinese Culture. New York and London: Rowman & Littlefield

Sullivan, Jonathan, and Séagh Kehoe. 2019. “Truth, Good and Beauty: The Politics of Celebrity in China.” The China Quarterly 237 (March): 241–256.

Yue, Xiao Dong. 2008. “Exploration of Chinese Humor.” Humor: International Journal of Humor Research 21 (4): 407-421.

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PREMIUM CONTENT ARTICLE

The biggest Weibo stars gathered at the main Sina Weibo event of the year: the annual Weibo Night. Which movies were the most popular, which influencers had their big breakthrough, and what went trending? This is an overview with a full list of all the winners and the moments that got people talking online [Premium Content].

Weibo Night was one of the biggest trends on Weibo this week. Weibo Night (#微博之夜#) is the yearly much-anticipated live-broadcasted ceremony that looks back on Sina Weibo’s hottest celebrities, entertainment productions, and happenings of the last year.

Hosted by the Sina media company, the night has been a recurring event since 2003 – long before the Sina Weibo platform was launched. The night was initially known as the ‘Sina Grand Ceremony’ (新浪网络盛典) until it turned into the ‘Weibo Night’ (微博之夜) in 2010.

During the ceremony of Weibo Night, which took place on the evening of March 25 in Shanghai and was broadcasted live on Weibo and on Sina, various prices were awarded in categories such as ‘The Hottest Weibo Celebrity of the Year’ (微博年度热度人物), ‘The Movie of the Year’ (年度电影), ‘Drama of the Year’ (年度电视剧), ‘Weibo Original Musician of the Year’, and ‘Weibo King & Queen.’

The award ceremony is always much anticipated since it is attended by all the big stars of the Chinese entertainment world, including the most famous actors/actresses, musicians, and online influencers.

What they are wearing is a big part of online discussions on Weibo Night, and with some celebrities changing their outfits during the night, talking about what they wear and who shines the brightest on the red carpet and who sits where is part of the fun.

So many stars in a row! Many thought that Yang Mi, in the red dress, was one of the best-dressed celebrities of the night; others thought it was Angelababy (杨颖), who is sitting next to her. Image via Weibo.

The hype surrounding the event begins long before the actual award ceremony as Weibo users can vote for their preferred candidates, and the shortlist of winners, based on Sina Weibo’s annual “Weibo Index,” is also published prior to the event.

The event is an important one for Weibo as a platform, not just because it drives massive traffic to the site, but also because all the celebrities have a strong Weibo presence and, throughout the night, express their love for the platform.

It is also important for celebrities, as it is an opportunity for them to promote themselves and the projects they are working on. Many celebrities do special photoshoots before the event and change outfits multiple times to make the most of their participation in the event.

As you can see below, there are so many categories during the award show, and some are actually really similar. This gives the idea that more important than the awards themselves is the showcasing of Weibo’s most popular celebrities.

On Weibo, the event was promoted using the slogan “Make the world more beautiful with the power of Weibo” (“以微博之力•让世界更美”).

Although the award ceremony is taking place in 2023, they are referred to as the 2022 Weibo Night since it mostly covers the year 2022, but also part of 2023, up to Spring Festival. For an overview by What’s on Weibo on the biggest topics of 2022 see this article.

THE RED CARPET

On Weibo, the hashtag “Weibo Night Red Carpet Livestream” (#微博之夜红毯直播#) received a staggering 610 million views this week.

The live stream of the red carpet was suddenly canceled midway, as there allegedly were too many fans gathering, and cancellation was done as a safety precaution.

Some videos surfacing on social media during the day also showed many fans around the area and some food delivery staff shouting out names to bring the right order to the right customer in the midst of the crowds.

MOST IMPACTFUL EVENTS

Weibo Night started with the presenters (Nigermaidi Zechman 尼格买提·热合曼 being one of them) announce an overview of the Weibo news topics that became a part of people’s collective memory over the past year.

The video shows different topics that went trending on Weibo in 2022-2023 with news footage. The video is divided into different segments.

▶︎ Under the topic of “conflict and disaster,” they listed the following (please note that not all hashtags are literally translated, but conveying the meaning so that everyone will understand what it is about):

• Tonga Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami #汤加火山喷发# (780 million clicks on Weibo)
• Russia-Ukraine War (#俄乌局势#) (10.1 billion clicks on Weibo) (read more)
• US Federal Reserve Interest Increase (#美联储加息#）(320 million clicks on Weibo)
• Europe’s Cold Winter (#欧洲寒潮#) (110 million clicks on Weibo) (related article)
• China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 (#MU5735#) (5.6 billion clicks on Weibo) (read more)
• Turkey-Syria Earthquake (#土耳其强震#) (510 million clicks on Weibo) (related article)
• Assassination of Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (#安倍普三身亡#) (2.5 billion clicks on Weibo) (more here)

▶︎ A text on the screen then emphasizes how love and kindness can shine through in times of struggle and catastrophe, and the following events are listed:

• Sichuan Luding Earthquake (#四川泸定地震#) (1.59 billion clicks on Weibo) (read here)
• Missing Man Found 17 Days after Luding Earthquake (#泸定地震中失联17天的甘字找到了#) (2 billion clicks on Weibo)
• Building a Great Wall of Fire [to Prevent Wild Fire from Spreading] (#他们用微光筑起防火长城#) (1.43 billion clicks on Weibo) (read)
• Young Courageous Heroes to the Rescue (#这些娃儿侠肝义胆#) (540 million clicks on Weibo) (more)

▶︎ Then the text on the screen says: “There will always be people who create miracles by challenging oneself.”

• Kipchoge Won Men’s Marathon World Record (#吉普乔格打破男子马拉松世界纪录#) (120 million clicks on Weibo)
• Argentina Wins World Cup (#阿根廷冠军#) (3.9 billion clicks on Weibo)
• Eileen Gu Wins Gold (#谷爱凌金牌#) (4.1 billion clicks on Weibo) (related articles)
• Su Yiming Wins Gold (#苏翊鸣金牌#) (1.7 billion clicks on Weibo)
• Xu Mengtao Wins Gold (#徐梦挑金牌#) (1 billion clicks on Weibo)
• China Wins Its First Gold of the Games (#短道速滑中国队北京冬奥会首金#) (1.37 billion clicks on Weibo)
• China Wins in Women’s Asian Cup (#中国女足亚洲杯冠军#) (2.8 billion clicks on Weibo)

▶︎ The text on the screen then says: “There will always be people who firmly believe that there will be Spring after longing for it.”

• China Cancels Circuit Breaker Measures for Inbound Flights (#入境航班熔断机制取消#) (150 million clicks on Weibo)
• End to [Covid-19] Travel Code Service (#行程卡下线#) (550 million clicks on Weibo)
• Goodbye Health Code (#告别健康吗#) (1.19 billion clicks on Weibo) (read here)
• Hello, 2023 (#你好2023#) (670 million clicks on Weibo)

▶︎ Text: “There will always be people who restart first after facing difficulties.”

• Full River Red Breaks 4.5 Billion at Box Office (#满江江实时票房破45亿#) (170 million views on Weibo)
• Wandering Earth 2 Breaks Box Office 4 Billion (流浪地球2票房破40亿) (290 million clicks on Weibo)
• Boonie Bears Guardian Code Breaks 1.4 Billion at Box Office (#熊出没之伴我熊芯票房破14亿#) (120 million clicks on Weibo)
• The Knockout (#狂飙#) (1 billion clicks on Weibo)
• A Lot of Concerts (#好多演唱会#) (110 million views)

▶︎ “There will always be people who turn a seed once planted into glory.”

• China Discovers New Moon Mineral (#月亮上发现嫦娥石#) (160 million clicks on Weibo)
• China Launches Third Aircraft Carrier (#我国第三艘航母下#) (1 billion clicks on Weibo)
• China’s C919 Jet Obtains Certificates for Commercial Flight (C919交付准备工作正有序推进) (190 million views)
• China’s Shenzhou-14 Manned Space Mission (#神十四发射成功#) (490 million clicks on Weibo)
• China Space Station Completes T-shape Basic Structure Assembly (#中国空间站“T”字基本构型在轨组装完成#) (140 million clicks on Weibo)
• Chinese Astronauts’ Firt Space Meeting (中国航天员首次太空会师) (110 million views on Weibo)
• China’s Shenzhou 14 Returns on Earth (#神十四返回地球#) (490 million clicks on Weibo)

Highlighted events: Tribute to China’s Firefighting Heroes

After the overview of all of these big topics, Chinese spaceflight Shenzhou 14 was highlighted and honored as one of the most important Weibo events of the year, together with the Chongqing wild fires.

Yang Zi, dressed in a black dress, was the actress to deliver a speech to pay tribute to the heroes of the Chongqing wildfires.

MOST INFLUENTIAL IN MUSIC

Weibo Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Voted as musicians that made the biggest breakthrough were:

• Liu Yuxin (刘雨昕), Guizhou-born singer/dancer
• Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜), Taiwanese singer, musician, and actress
• Shan Yicun (单依纯), Chinese singer and former winner of The Voice of China

▶︎ In this same category, the group INTO1 received the award for the most notable breakthrough pop group of the year. The group received attention on social media for their extremely correct posture during the award ceremony.

INTO1 was like its own little army during Weibo Night (image via Weibo).

Best Newcomer and Rising Stars

In the category of rising star awards – or those having made the biggest “leap” (微博年度飞跃音乐人), – are:

• Ayunga (阿云嘎), Mongolian musical theater actor, singer, and songwriter
• Gina Alice Redlinger (吉娜爱丽丝), German-Korean pianist who happens to be married to the renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang
• Dany Lee (李斯丹妮), Chengdu-born singer

▶︎ Boy band BOYSTORY was among the first to receive an award during Weibo Night, namely that of the best newcomer pop group (微博年度新锐团体).

Weibo’s Original and Influential Musician of the Year

• Wang Yuan (王源)

▶︎ Wang Yuan (王源, also known as Roy Wang) won the award for Original Musician of the Year. Born in 2000, Wang is mostly known as a member of the hugely popular TFboys idol group that debuted in 2013, but his solo career has also been thriving for years.

Roy Wang accepts his award at the Weibo Night, images by Sina Weibo.

• Li Yuchun (李宇春)

Li Yuchun shared a photo of her outfit on her own Weibo account.

▶︎ Li Yuchun (李宇春), once known as China’s “most handsome supergirl,” received the award for Weibo Influential Musician of the Year. Since winning the nationwide talent show ‘Supergirl’ (Chaoji Nüsheng) and appearing on the cover of Time Magazine Asia in 2005, Li Yuchun has become a household name in China and managed to stay popular. During Weibo night, she wore a beautiful white suit and was one of the few ladies not wearing a long dress for the occasion (Eileen Gu also wore pants!). Li Yuchun also performed at the event later on in the show.

Weibo Outstanding Musician of the Year

In the “Outstanding Singers” category, the awards went to the popular female singers:

• Yu Wenwen (于文文)
• Yuan Yawei (袁娅维)
• Zheng Suyan (郑秀妍)

Weibo Music of the Year

The award for Weibo Music of the Year (微博年度人气音乐) went to the following songs:

• “Just Like Sunshine” (像阳光那样) – Wang Yibo (王一博)
• “To Find You” (寻一个你) – Liu Yuning (刘宇宁)
• “Worry-Free” (花开忘忧) – Zhou Shen (周深)

MOST INFLUENTIAL IN ACTING

Weibo Breakthrough Actor of the Year

• Wang Yibo (王一博)

▶︎ Wang Yibo (王一博) is the winner of the Weibo Breakthrough Film Star of the Year. Wang (1997) has been super popular in China for years. Born in Henan, he is a multi-talent and is active as an actor, singer, dancer, rapper, and professional road motorcycle racer. In 2014, Wang debuted as a member of the South Korean-Chinese boyband UNIQ. Since then, his career has been thriving and he has starred in various popular productions, such as 2019 drama The Untamed (陈情令).

The Weibo Breakthrough Actor of the Year Award (微博年度突破演员), given to those actors who made a significant breakthrough in their careers during the past year, went to:

• Han Dongjun (韩东君)
• Jin Chen (金晨)
• Li Yitong (李一桐)
• Liu Yuning (刘宇宁)
• Xu Kai (许凯)
• Zhang Jingyi (张婧仪)

Newcomers, Rising, and Eye-Catching Actors of the Year

The award for best newcomer went to young actors:

• Hu Lianxin’er (胡连新儿)
• Wang Churan (王楚然)
• Wang Jiayi (王家义)
• Wu Xuanyi (吴宣仪)
• Zhang Yifan (张艺凡)
• Zhou Yiran (周艺然)

The Rising Actors Award (微博年度飞跃演员) went to:

• Bai Lu (白鹿)
• Guan Xiaotong (关晓彤)
• Mao Xiaotong (毛晓彤)
• Song Yi (宋轶)
• Tang Jianji (檀健次).

The ‘Eye-Catching Actors’ award (微博年度瞩目演员), which is about those actors who have achieved significant popularity and influence on social media, went to:

• Wang Jun (王俊)
• Wang Hedi (王鹤棣)
• Wu Lei (吴磊)
• Yu Shuxin (虞书欣).

The Weibo award for most promising or hard-working actors (微博年度进取演员) went to:

• Chen Zheyuan (陈哲远)
• Hou Minghao (侯明昊)
• Li Landi (李兰迪)
• Shen Yue (沈月)
• Tian Xiwei (田曦薇)
• Wang Ziyi (王子异)
• Zhang Linghe (张凌赫)

Tian Xi wei in Sophie Couture for Weibo Night, photos via Sina Weibo.

▶︎ Chinese actress Tian Xiwei stood out with a beautifully designed pink dress by Sophie Couture.

Weibo Attractive Actors of the Year

Honored as the most “attractive” actors of the year are:

• Gao Ye (高野)
• Pan Yueming (潘粤明)
• Tong Yao (童瑶)
• Wang Yang (王洋)

Weibo Night Performers of the Year

The Weibo award for performance of the year (微博年度表现力演员) went to:

• Dilraba Dilmurat (迪丽热巴), Chinese actress who recently starred in the popular series You Are My Glory (这个杀手不太冷静)
• Li Xian (李现), Chinese actor who starred in TV series Meet Yourself (which actually boosted Yunnan tourism)
• Yang Zi (杨紫), one of the big stars of the night who starred in multiple successful productions recently

Weibo Public Favorite Actors of the Year

The Weibo Public Favorites Actors of the Year awards, also called the Weibo Word-of-Mouth Actors of the Year (微博年度口碑演员) award, went to:

• Ma Li (马丽)
• Song Jia (宋佳)
• Yao Chen (姚晨)

▶︎ Of course, Yao Chen should be on this list – although Yao Chen is not necessarily China’s number one actress, she was one of the first celebrities to share her personal life on Weibo since 2009,and interact with her fans. On Weibo, she talks about her everyday life, family, news-related issues, work, and fashion. She posts a lot personal pictures every day. Yao Chen’s popularity as an actress and philanthropist combined with her frequent Weibo updates and closeness to her fans have made her a huge Weibo celebrity.

▶︎ Ma Li (马丽) has been in the limelight a lot reently. The Chinese actress starred in Too Cool to Kill (这个杀手不太冷静) and was a hit star during the Spring Festival Gala.

Weibo Quality Actor of the Year

They received the Quality Actor of the Year (微博年度品质演员) Award at the Weibo Award stage:

• Xiao Zhan (肖战)
• Liu Yifei (刘亦菲, Crystal Liu)
• Zhang Ruoyun (张若昀)

▶︎ Zhang is known for his acting work in various productions and well-known dramas, such as Joy for Life (2019). In 2022, he starred in Under The Microscope, a series about a math genius who ends up in a complex web of corruption and lies after he discovers a major tax discrepancy in his county’s finances.

Weibo Awards for Fine Acting of the Year

The award for realistic acting / fine acting (微博年度质感演员) went to some of China’s most renowned actresses, namely:

• Yang Mi (杨幂), the super popular actress who recently starred in Thank You Doctor (谢谢你医生)
• Angelababy (杨颖), the multitalented celebrity who often makes it to Weibo’s top trends
• Tong Liya (佟丽娅), actress and dancer of Xibo ethnicity who won many awards for her acting work
• Liu Shishi (刘诗诗), the renowned actress who is commonly praised for her quality acting

The actresses take their award at the Weibo Night stage.

▶︎ This became a much talked about moment since it was the first time for Angelababy to be at an event with Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming. The moment Angelababy went on stage, the camera focused on Huang who spoke a few words with Li Bingbing who sat right next to him. This sparked discussions on what he said at that moment, and simlarly, when Huang was on stage, people wanted to know what Angelababy was saying to Yang Mi. Oh, if only you could be a fly on the wall!

Weibo Award for Influential Actor

The award for actor that had the most influence / impact on Chinese social media thi year (微博年度影响力演员) went to:

• Li Bingbing (李冰冰)

▶︎ Li Bingbing shared the stage with Li Yuchun for this award, as Li Yuchun was honored for being the most influential musician.

MOST INFLUENTIAL IN MOVIES

Weibo Breakthrough in Film

The awards for the most notable breakthrough in film (微博年度突破电影人) went to:

• Wang Yibo (王一博)
• Da Peng (大鹏)
• Zhang Chiyu (张吃鱼/张迟昱)

The breakthrough in film winners, photo shared by Da Peng on Weibo.

▶︎ Da Peng, who is always quite active on Weibo (@大鹏董成鹏), is the director and screenwriter for the Chinese comedy movie Post Truth (保你平安) about a former mob boss who has now ventured in the business of selling burial plots and finds himself in the middle of a rumor scandal after the death of one of his clients.

Weibo Quality and Impactful Films of the Year

Honored in the category of “quality film” of the year (微博年度品质电影):

• Moon Man (独行月球)
• Song of Spring (妈妈)
• Lighting Up the Stars (人生大事)
• Hidden Blade (无名)

Honored in the category of films that made the most impact on Weibo (微博年度影响力电影), meaning they generated the most online discussions and often topped the Weibo trending lists:

• Wandering Earth 2 (流浪地球2)
• Full River Red (满江红)
• Home Coming (万里归途)

Weibo Quality Filmmakers of the Year

The award for quality film influentials of the year (微博年度品质电影人) went to:

• Lei Jiayin (雷佳音)
• Jackson Yee (易烊千玺)
• Rao Xiaozhi (饶晓志)
• Wen Muye (文牧野)

▶︎ Wen Muye directed the 2022 movie Nice View (奇迹·笨小孩) which stars Jackson Yee and tells the story of the 20-year-old Jing Hao who comes to live in Shenzhen to look after his little sister Tong Tong after the unexpected death of their mother. Rao Xiaozhi directed Home Coming, one of the major box office hits of 2022.

Best Movies of the Year

The most beloved movies of the year on Weibo (微博年度人气电影) are：

• Hidden Blade (无名)
• Wandering Earth 2 (流浪地球2)
• Home Coming (万里归途)

▶︎ Hidden Blade is a 2023 Chinese World War II espionage thriller directed by Cheng Er. ‘Home Coming’ (万里归途) is inspired by China’s overseas citizens protection response during the 2011 Libya crisis, and it sparked waves of nationalistic sentiments earlier in 2022.

▶︎ The sci-film Wandering Earth 2 became a box office hit in 2023 and has already become a part of China’s online culture in terms of visuals, memes, and vocabulary.

Weibo Most-Watched Movie Person of the Year

The award for Weibo Most-Watched Movie Personality (微博年度关注电影人) went to:

• Karry Wang (王俊凯)
• Li Yu (李玉)
• Yang Lina (杨荔钠)

▶︎ Yang Lina wrote and directed the 2022 film Song of Spring (妈妈), which tells the moving story of an 85-year-old mother caring for a 65-year-old daughter with Alzheimer’s disease.

Weibo Most Influential Director of the Year

▶︎ Zhang Yimou (张艺谋) received the award for most influential director of the year. The renowned director’s latest film Full River Red (满江红), a historical suspense comedy film starring Shen Teng and Jackson Yee, became a hit during the Spring Festival holiday and is China’s sixth highest-grossing box office entry of all time.

MOST INFLUENTIAL IN TV

Weibo Drama of the Year

This honors the Weibo serialized dramas of the year (微博年度剧集):

• Love Between Fairy and Devil (苍兰诀)
• Draw The Line (底线)
• Wild Bloom (风吹半夏)
• The Knockout (狂飙)
• The Three-Body Problem (三体)
• Bright Future (县委大院)
• Love Like the Galaxy (星汉灿烂·月升沧海)
• The Story Of Xing Fu (幸福到万家)
• The Blue Whisper (驭鲛记之与君初相识·恰似故人归)

Weibo Drama of the Year

• The Oath of Love (余生，请多指教) – Yang Zi and Xiao Zhan both star in this drama about a romance between a doctor and pianist
• Being A Hero (冰雨火) – crime and mystery drama featuring Chen Xiao and Wang Yibo
• Immortal Samsara (沉香如屑·沉香重华) – xianxia drama starring Yang Zi and Cheng Yi

Variety Show of the Year

• Street Dance of China 5 (这就是街舞5) – reality competition show focused on street dance
• Time Concert: Season 2 (时光音乐会2) – music variety show
• Hello, Saturday! (你好星期六) – variety show including games, interviews, and more

MOST INFLUENTIAL WEIBO CELEBRITIES

Weibo Influential Sports Personality of the Year

The award for Weibo’s Annual Most Influential Sport Person (微博年度影响力体育人物) went to:

• Eileen Gu (Gu Ailing)
• Ren Ziwei (任子威)

▶︎ 2022 really was the big year of Eileen Gu (@青蛙公主爱凌, 6.5 million fans), the America-born Olympic freestyle skier and gold medalist who came out for China. Although Gu could not attend the Spring Festival Gala earlier this year, she did attend Weibo Night, wher she changed outfits twice and also gave some interviews. For more about the Year of Eileen Gu, see our article here.

Hottest Celebrities of the Year

• Xiao Zhan (肖战)
• Yang Zi (杨紫)
• Wang Yibo (王一博)

▶︎ Xiao Zhan, Yang Zi, and Wang Yibo were the big winners of the Weibo Night. They all received the awards as the most popular Weibo celebrities. Xiao Zhan has over 31 million followers on Weibo (@X玖少年团肖战DAYTOY); Yang Zi has over 60 million (@杨紫); Wang Yibo (@UNIQ-王一博) has over 40 million.

A moment of Xiao Zhan sitting by himself, with his back super straight and a serious face, also went viral on Chinese social media.

▶︎ Besides both being super popular on Weibo, Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo have more in common: they both starred together in the 2019 Chinese television series The Untamed, which is also very popular within online boys’ love communities.

The popular actress and singer Yang Zi, also known as Andy Yang, is also known for starring in various hit dramas such as Ode to Joy, Ashes of Love, Go Go Squid!, and Oath to Love.

Weibo Annual Favorite Person

The Weibo celebrities with the most likability are:

• Chinese table tennis player Sun Yingsha (孙颖莎)
• Professional esports multigame player Yi Nuo (一诺)
• South-Korean-born Chinese short track speed skater Lin Xiaosha (林孝埈)

The Queen and King of Weibo

• Hu Ge (胡歌)
• Liu Yifei (刘亦菲, Crystal Liu)

▶︎ The most anticipated awards of Weibo Night are those of the Weibo Queen and King. This year, Hu Ge (胡歌) was voted Weibo King while Liu Yifei (刘亦菲, Crystal Liu) accepted the Weibo Queen award. Liu Yifei is a Chinese-American actress who is most famous outside of China for starring in Disney’s Mulan live-action movie. Liu Yifei, who was recently announced as the new global spokesperson for Bvlgari, wore a spectacular Elie Saab dress to the Weibo night awards.

▶︎ Liu was reunited on stage with Weibo King Hu Ge, with whom she starred in the popular Chinese TV drama series Chinese Paladin. Hu Ge has previously won numerous awards for his acting, including the Best Actor Award at the 2013 Golden Eagle Awards and the Best Actor Award at the 2016 China Britain Film Festival. He is also popular as is a singer in China.

By Manya Koetse 

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