China Celebs
“I Deeply Love My Motherland!” – Chinese Actor Zhang Zhehan Under Fire for Yasukuni and Nogi Shrine Photos
Chinese celebrity Zhang Zhehan is facing Chinese “cancel culture” after his historically insensitive social media posts.
China Brands, Marketing & Consumers
Starbucks Goes Xinjiang & The Kardashians in China
Starbucks rebrands as “Star-Bazaar” in Urumqi—what does it say about shifting perceptions of Western brands in China? Also: a cheating sports influencer and the souvenirs that became most hated.
Originally published in the Eye on Digital China newsletter on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
In this edition:
- Quick scrolls: A Chinese athlete cheated her way to the Berlin Marathon’s finish
- Zooming in: When Localization Gets Political: Starbucks Goes Xinjiang
- On the Feed: The Kardashians in China
- Phrase of the Week: The 3 souvenirs sold everywhere, but nobody wants them
🗞️ QUICK SCROLLS
🇯🇵 The National Day holiday has begun, but nobody’s going to Japan. Although Japan was the number one outbound destination for Chinese travelers during last year’s October holiday, it has now dropped out of the top ten destinations entirely. According to data from Chinese tour operator Tuniu (途牛), Indonesia, Turkey, and South Korea are among this year’s most-booked overseas destinations.
🚲 Chinese fitness influencer “Abeeeer” was caught cheating during the Berlin Marathon after she posted about running her “personal best.” The sport-blogger (530k+ followers on Xiaohongshu) was photographed riding on the back of a bicycle around the 38-kilometer mark. On Saturday, she publicly apologized and admitted that she had broken the rules and that she was “feeling unwell.”
The sports influencer was caught hitching a ride to the finish line.
🏳️🌈 Japanese volleyball player Rui Takahashi came out as gay on Tuesday, saying he wanted to help others struggling with their sexuality by coming out publicly. On Douyin, many Chinese fans and commenters praised Rui for his bravery.
🤖 Former Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin (胡锡进) published a National Day essay praising the country’s achievements but forgot to delete the AI chatbot’s closing follow-up question (”Would you like me to read through the whole text again and check it for omissions?”). Hu quickly deleted the AI prompt, but “Hu Xijin’s National Day AI ghostwriting fail” had already gone trending.
⚽ Chinese football produced…
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Liz Mater
August 16, 2021 at 12:49 am
I just purchased a dvd of Word Of Hoonor due to the bad press Zhange is getting. Being a U.S. citizen I have seen too many careers ruined by such press fueled feeding frenzies and wwas afraid with all the companies that are giving into this puvlicity have cancelled their deals with th eactor. Even when the story may have little or no basis in fact it can make a person look guilty even if they are just ignorant of all the facts. I wasn’t even born when all the fighting was going on and I imagine Zhange wasn’t either, and if his education was deficient in teaching young people fully about their history, well just look at the U.S> we have’t always done a great job in that field, and maybe that is why wwe keep condeming people for actions they take which look suspicious to some may actually be nnocent. All in all Ijust want to say I support Zhange and hope he comes out of this with
some who don’t deset him, and also hope that you won’t be removing his films and music from the pupblic, because while you bow down to the few who are angry about this there are still people who back hom and wish to see more of him on TV and films and concert.
this from one American who doesn’t think the press is wlwayss right nor is it always wrong, but they do tend, n my opinion , jump on a juicy story before they know all the facts.
(Zhange don’t let the bullies get you down)
Liz Mater
August 16, 2021 at 12:59 am
Ihave been trying to post a comment backing Zhange Zhehan and have been blocked everytime. Iwish I knew why, is it content or the fact I am not CHinese.
Liz Mater
August 16, 2021 at 8:15 am
I just want to say that I am so sorry that Zhang got caught up in this media onslaught. Actually when I heard how “THEY” were canceling his shows, sponsorships, even taking his name off the cast of Word Of Honor (do they really think anyone who has seen the show will forget he was one of the two lead actors–get real) Newaygo the minute I heard about the cancelations I Wen out on ebay and bought the dad’s of Word of Honor so they couldn’t steal it from me. I have seen too many people’s careers and lives ruined by accusations and assumptions by.others, and with the whole hearted members of the press as I am a itizen of the U.S. (and not always proud of that fact) but now that I see the same type of things going on in other countries, I guess the U.S. mis’nt such a bad place to live.I. CLOSING I just want to with Zhang Zhehan the best and keep your head up and don’t let the bas****s get you down.
Skara
August 17, 2021 at 7:59 pm
Mr Zhang Zhehan will not be the first and last to make mistake of being photographed around the Shrine area.
The Shrine seems to be a trap for anyone not paying too much attention where they’re going and who are taking photos.
Hope his boycott and ‘punishment’ will end soon.