The Many Layers Behind the “Sister Hong Incident”

Published

2 months ago

July 18, 2025

Dear Reader,

A 60-year-old man from Nanjing became the biggest trending topic on Weibo recently after news circulated that he had cross-dressed as a woman, lured 1691 men into having sex with him, recorded the encounters, and then spread the videos online. It was suggested that he had exposed the men to HIV and infected at least eleven of them.

That particular story turned out to be inaccurate, but the real story behind the sensationalism was strange enough to pique the interest of countless netizens.

The actual case involves a much younger man: the 38-year-old Mr. Jiao who pretended to be a woman and arranged to hook up with many men, secretly recording the encounters and uploading the footage online.

Mr Jiao and screenshots of some of their videos.

The story first began circulating online in early July. It went viral across multiple Chinese social media platforms after local police arrested the man and publicly announced the case (likely also due to the rapid spread of sensationalized rumors).

This is what the police report of July 8 said:

Police notification

Recently, Jiangning police received reports from members of the public stating that their private videos had been disseminated online by others. Jiangning police immediately launched an investigation and, on July 5, arrested the suspect Jiao (焦) X.

Upon investigation, it was found that Jiao X. (male, 38 years old, person from outside the province) impersonated a woman, arranged to engage in sexual activities with multiple men, and secretly filmed the encounters to disseminate the videos online.

The widely spread online rumor that “a 60-year-old man in Nanjing dressed as a woman and had intimate relations with over a thousand people” is false.

On July 6, Jiao X. was criminally detained by Jiangning police in accordance with the law on suspicion of the crime of disseminating obscene materials. The case is currently under further investigation.

Jiangning Branch of the Nanjing Public Security Bureau
July 8, 2025

By now, the case has come to be known as the “Nanjing Old Guy Hong Incident” (南京红老头事件).

In Chinese, “Hong” (红) means “red,” which is not only a color but also carries connotations of celebrity or notoriety in this context.

Jiao initially used the online nickname Ah Hong (阿红). This nickname soon evolved into “Nanjing Sister Hong” (南京红姐), but was later changed by netizens to “Nanjing Old Guy Hong” (南京红老头) after some argued it was inappropriate to refer to Jiao as a woman. Official media posts calling Jiao “Sister” received hundreds of angry reactions, with people demanding an end to the use of the female title.

Jiao had reportedly posed as a woman for a long time, using various social platforms—from WeChat and QQ to Momo—to find men to hook up with.

He wore women’s clothing, a long wig, used heavy white make-up, and also relied on beauty filters and voice-changing tools to appear and sound more feminine to the men he met online.

Since Jiao didn’t charge any money for these encounters, some of the men apparently thought it polite to bring gifts. Leaked footage shows visitors arriving at his apartment with small offerings—from fruit and milk to half-full bottles of cooking oil.

Caption: “I’m dying of laughter — someone even brought half a jug of cooking oil from home. There were people bringing milk, fruits, even a pack of tissues — but the funniest thing is someone actually brought half a jug of cooking oil from their own kitchen! Hahaha. Tomorrow morning, when his wife cooks, she’s definitely going to wonder where the oil went.”

Jiao had secretly set up a hidden camera in the rooms to capture the sexual encounters, and later spread these online through online groups where participants had to pay a membership fee of 150 yuan (US$21) per person to join the group.

Some of Jiao’s victims reported him to the police after discovering that videos of their encounters were being circulated online—allegedly after they were recognized by others. By now, several men have been identified by people who know them, and one woman reportedly recognized her own husband in one of the videos.

The exact number of men Jiao met and secretly filmed remains unknown. While authorities have dismissed the viral claim of over 1600 men as exaggerated (a number reportedly mentioned by Jiao himself), they have not released an official count, and the investigation is still ongoing.

The videos have since spread widely online, showing Jiao engaging in various forms of sexual activity with different male partners. While it’s unclear how many of the men initially believed he was a woman, it seems highly likely—if not inevitable—that many realized the truth at some point during the encounters.

Social media discussions around the case now touch on a range of issues, from privacy violations to gender identity and public health concerns.

🏛️ Legal Implications: From Violating Privacy to Endangering Public Health

First, the legal aspects of the case are drawing significant attention, with various lawyers and legal experts weighing in on what crimes Jiao may have committed. For now, he is under criminal detention for disseminating obscene materials—the production, distribution, and sale of sexually explicit content is illegal under Chinese law.

But Jiao also violated the privacy and portrait rights of others by sharing explicit videos that clearly show their faces without consent.

And what if Jiao is indeed HIV-positive and knowingly engaged in unprotected sex?

According to Legal Daily (法治日报), he could then be charged with “endangering public safety through dangerous means” (“以危险方法危害公共安全罪”).

This offense carries a sentence of 3 to 10 years in prison if no serious harm occurs, but if it results in severe injury, death, or major damage, it could lead to life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

On the morning of July 8, a local CDC official confirmed that health authorities were now involved in the case. While Jiao’s health status is considered private, officials said they’ll share updates if and when it’s appropriate.

💥 Social Shock: Public Health and “Hole-Sexuals”

There has also been significant social shock over the story. The footage that’s been circulating online shows dozens of different men visiting Jiao — from student types and businessmen to men from all walks of life, including fitness trainers, married men, college athletes, and also young foreign men.

Many netizens expressed that the story changed the way they view the people around them. The men visiting Jiao were not some ‘basket of deplorables’ — they included wealthy older men, young and attractive guys, educated tech professionals. That realization unsettled many, shaking their worldview on multiple levels.

Although this triggered many jokes, it also raised uncomfortable questions not just about how little people may know their friends, neighbors, or even romantic partners—but also about public health. If Jiao did pose an HIV risk, it means these men—many of whom are married or have families—may have unknowingly brought that risk home with them after these unprotected encounters arranged online.

Chinese commentators and bloggers therefore tied the case to women’s sexual health, suggesting that a significant number of gynecological infections among married women are actually caused by their own husbands.

There were multiple online posts suggesting that the entire story reflected the sexual repression experienced by many Chinese men. Jiao, as a man himself, may have understood male psychology well — and was simply giving these men the emotional and physical attention they were lacking at a time when their sexual needs were not being met.

Some argued that such situations are a byproduct of the crackdown on KTV bars and massage parlors, hinting at the shrinking space for illegal prostitution in mainland China.

“Sometimes it really feels like heterosexuality is a joke,” blogger Chen Shishi (@陈折折) wrote: “These men are so filthy, and yet they go back and pretend to be good boyfriends, good husbands, good fathers, good men.”

She added: “As long as there’s a hole, they’re in.”

In doing so, Chen used the term 洞性恋 (dòngxìngliàn), a satirical play on the Chinese word for “homosexual” (同性恋, tóngxìngliàn, literally “same-sex love”).

By replacing the first character 同 (“same”) with 洞 (meaning “hole”), the term becomes “hole-sexual” instead of “homosexual,” mocking those men who sought out Jiao without caring what “she” looked like — or even whether she was secretly a man — as long as there was a “hole” to satisfy them. Recently, 洞性恋 (dòngxìngliàn) has been used a lot by Chinese netizens commenting on this case.

🛑 Politically Sensitive: Controlling the Narrative

Apart from the criminal charges Jiao may face, this story inevitably has some deeper layers that are politically sensitive and are therefore flattened and rewritten into safer territories.

Chinese well-known blogger Lu Shihan (@卢诗翰) recently commented on this issue on Weibo and Zhihu, critiquing how Chinese media and public discourse have framed this story. According to Lu, the narrative was intentionally shifted away from any discussion of a possibly trans, marginalized sex worker.

Lu suggests that censorship, social discomfort, and political sensitivity around class struggles and LGBTQ+ issues force both media and the public to stick to the safest possible framing.

That “safe narrative” is a comical and odd case about a ridiculous old man in a wig, crossdressing for his own fetish pleasure and spreading obscenity, scamming straight men into a sex scandal.

Acknowledging that many of the men may have known (or didn’t care) that “Nanjing Sister Hong” was biologically male would turn the incident into a conversation about queer identity and sexuality. And as Lu points out, that’s a no-go zone.

In his commentary on the issue, Lu Shihan mentions the story of another “Sister Hong” (红姐), an older street sex worker who became well-known in Shenzhen’s Sanhe district and even gained some online fame at a national level.

“Sanhe Sister Hong” came from a mountainous village and ran away as a teenager to work in the city. After being abused and abandoned, she fell into homelessness and eventually turned to sex work to survive in Sanhe, a place known for its lower-class young (post-1990) male day laborers who hop from job to job, self-precariously calling themselves the “great gods of Sanhe” (三和大神).

In this environment, Sister Hong stood out not just as a sex worker but also as a vagabond woman, and she has almost reached cult-like status for some—she’s now known as the legendary Sister Hong.

Sanhe Sister Hong.

“Nanjing Sister Hong” ultimately got that nickname because of the “Sanhe Sister Hong.”

Lu argues that around China, from Nanjing to Shenzhen to Guangdong, there are many “Sister Hongs,” and their vulnerable position, marginalization, and methods of income have to do with much deeper issues about gender and class struggles that go beyond some clueless straight men who just happen to stumble into their bedrooms.

On Chinese Q&A site Zhihu, some commenters are convinced that Jiao’s ‘customers’ were very well aware that he was not a woman — but that it is common to see men dressing up as women for a certain group of closeted men who feel more at ease in ambiguous, feminized encounters that don’t directly confront their own sexual identities. Also, for them, people like Sister Hong feel like safer territory.

🎭 Cultural Fascination: The Story of Shi Peipu

At the heart of this story also lies a deeper cultural fascination: the image of a male figure assuming a female persona to seduce other men — and the taboo topics that come with it. Cross-dressing has a long history in China, from traditional opera to contemporary media.

Some netizens — somewhat jokingly — compared “Sister Hong” (Jiao) to the case of Shi Peipu (时佩璞), a story that inspired the award-winning play M. Butterfly (1988) by David Hwang.

Shi Peipu (1938–2009) was a male Chinese opera singer who pretended to be a biological woman for over two decades. Shi Peipu worked for the Chinese secret service and was involved in what has been called one of the “strangest cases in international espionage.”

Shi Peipu

Shi Peipu was originally from Kunming and moved to Beijing in the 1960s. The then 26-year-old Shi met the French diplomat Bernard Bouriscot (布尔西, 1944) at a Christmas party in 1964, where Shi came dressed as a man.

Shi told Bouriscot that he was actually a female opera singer who had been forced by his father to present himself as a man because he desired a son so much. Bouriscot believed it, and their love affair took off — a romance that also continued when Bouriscot was stationed abroad.

For a period of twenty years, Shi pretended to be a woman during this ‘love relationship’ in order to gather intelligence information from Bouriscot.

Shi went to extreme measures to keep the Frenchman close to him, as ‘she’ even convinced Bouriscot that she had become pregnant with his child in 1965, just before the two would be apart for a long time. Shi adopted a boy from Xinjiang and presented him as their alleged child, which Bouriscot apparently believed.

Bouriscot and his son, who was actually adopted and not biologically his.

In 1982, Shi and Bouriscot moved to Paris, where they were both arrested a year later — Shi’s secret allegedly finally came to light when the CIA informed the French government that secret information from the French Embassy in China had leaked during the 1970s.

Even when the police burst into their home to arrest them, the Frenchman allegedly still believed Peipu was his wife and the mother of his child. It took a medical report for him to realize the truth.

Bouriscot attempted suicide when he discovered that Shi was actually a man. He was convicted of espionage — news that made it to the front pages in France — and both men were sentenced to six years in prison (although both got out earlier).

Front page of France Soir after Bouriscot and Shi Peipu were arrested on June 30, 1983, and later convicted.

Shi, who did not plead guilty to being a spy, passed away in Paris in 2009. About the affair, Bouriscot later said: “When I believed it, it was a beautiful story.”

Shi Peipu’s story has become one of those famous stories that is still discussed online and pops up every now and then — such as in the discussions talking about “Sister Hong.” Because the story is so bizarre, it is mostly discussed in certain frameworks that hardly challenge dominant ideas about gender and sexuality.

📌 So what’s the takeaway in the “Sister Hong” case? On the surface, it serves as a cautionary tale about meeting strangers online and the potential nightmare of seeing yourself butt-naked on the internet.

But more deeply, the reason this case shook the Chinese internet is because it points to something much larger. It touches on issues that usually remain hidden beneath the surface. It reveals vulnerability on all sides.

The vulnerability of people like “Nanjing Sister Hong” — whether cross-dressing or identifying as transgender, they are operating outside the gender binary. As research by scholars like Eileen Yuk-ha Tsang shows, individuals in this position often face intense social stigma, family rejection, discrimination, severe depression, and abuse by intimate partners (many of whom present as heterosexual men). While none of this excuses Jiao’s actions — secretly recording hundreds of men and exposing their faces and literal private parts online — it does shed light on some of the dynamics that may have pushed him into the internet’s darkest corners.

There’s also the vulnerability of the men who were filmed — now watching their lives collapse as their identities are exposed to the public.

And then there’s the vulnerability of the wives and partners at home, not only discovering their partners’ infidelity in the most public way possible, but also having to face the emotional and physical consequences it may carry for their own lives and health.

For now, the “Nanjing Sister Hong” case is already among the most-discussed topics on Chinese social media this year. It has become the source of countless memes and AI-generated parodies. The story got so big that people are now joking even Trump was one of his secret visitors (see AI meme).

There are even memes about the “Sister Hong starter kit” and others mocking the man who brought half a bottle of cooking oil.

Some joked that “Sister Hong” bears an uncanny resemblance to well-known Chinese political commentator Hu Xijin.

These jokes probably won’t help anyone much, but they’re an inevitable product of China’s meme machine. Still, they shine a bit of light on a topic of which many sides will inevitably remain in the dark for a long time to come.

Scroll down for more highlights of what’s been trending and noteworthy lately. (This is a long newsletter, so make sure to click through to read the full edition — including the controversy over a Chinese student expelled for a fling with a Ukrainian esports player.) A special thanks to Miranda Barnes for helping put together this edition.

I’m happy to see more requests coming in for group subscriptions. Are you reading What’s on Weibo at work? Group subscriptions are available at a discount for 10, 15, or 20 people. Let the person in charge of media or publication subscriptions know that subscribing to What’s on Weibo is a smart move for making sense of what’s trending in China (and that this is a 100% independent, reader-supported platform!) 🚀

Thanks, as always, for reading and for your support. And if there’s a topic you want to know more about, or something you think I should include—don’t hesitate to reach out.

Best,

Manya

PS I mentioned Eileen Yuk-ha Tsang here as one of the scholars focusing on Chinese transgender sex workers. Coincidentally, her new book Unlocking the Red Closet: Gay Male Sex Workers in China is coming out on July 29.

What’s Trending

Popular Topics at a Glance

Another major story that’s been trending involves a 31-year-old captain from Jilin working for China Southern Airlines, who reportedly stabbed two of his colleagues after a work-related dispute before jumping to his death from a high-rise building in Changchun in early July. His colleagues survived the attack.

This latest tragedy has sparked renewed discussion about the intense pressure faced by commercial pilots in China. Many pilots are locked into rigid, high-penalty contracts that make it financially difficult to leave their position at the company while struggling to go up in rank. Even when demoted or given fewer flight hours, they may feel unable to walk away—conditions that can severely impact mental health.

The 31-year-old captain from Jilin, named Li Xing, reportedly spiraled after failing a competency evaluation that disqualified him from flying. Some netizens remarked on the irony of how strict standards intended to guarantee flight safety may, in fact, also put more pressure on pilots and become risk factors that trigger accidents.

The incident, together with the recent Air India Flight 171 crash, has stirred public memory of the China Eastern Airlines MU5735 crash three years ago—an investigation that never reached an official conclusion, though many believe it was also a case of pilot suicide.

China’s Wahaha Group (娃哈哈集团) is once again in the spotlight this week — and not for good reasons. The head of the company, one of the largest food and beverage producers in China, is currently being sued by her presumed siblings over the enormous inheritance of their late father.

Wahaha has long been a beloved brand in China. When founder and chairman Zong Qinghou (宗庆后) passed away in March last year, many people showed their sympathy for the brand — and for Zong, who was seen as a patriotic and humble businessman — by buying Wahaha mineral water.

But since the company was taken over by Zong’s daughter, Zong Fuli (宗馥莉), things haven’t been running quite the same. Public sentiment has already been shifting, especially earlier this year when netizens discovered that the Wahaha water they purchased was actually produced by the cheaper brand Jinmailang (今麦郎).

The ongoing inheritance scandal is further damaging Wahaha’s public image — particularly because it involves Zong Qinghou’s three alleged illegitimate children, all of whom hold U.S. citizenship.

Last year, Wahaha was praised by netizens for being a patriotic brand, while its main competitor, Nongfu Spring, was accused of being unpatriotic — partly because its CEO’s son, Zhong Shuzi (钟墅子), also holds an American passport. That sparked online debate about corporate loyalty to China.

Now that it turns out Zong Qinghou has not one but three children in the U.S., together with former Wahaha senior executive Du Jianying (杜建英), public perception of both the brand and Zong’s legacy is starting to shift.

At the same time, this case offers a fascinating glimpse into the inner dynamics of one of China’s most iconic companies — and it’s definitely a topic that Chinese netizens will be closely following for some time to come (and so will we).

“Hot hot hot hot hot hot hot week ahead” (#未一周热热热热热热热#), was the hashtag pushed by Chinese state media this week, as large parts of the country brace for temperatures above 35°C (95°F) in the days to come.

In regions stretching from Shaanxi to Guizhou, highs are expected to reach 37–39°C (98.6–102.2°F), with some areas soaring past 40°C (104°F). Already, nine provinces and regions—including Xinjiang, Shanxi, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi—have reported nighttime lows above 30°C (86°F).

The heatwave in Xinjiang has drawn particular attention online, with daytime temperatures in places like Turpan consistently exceeding 40°C (104°F).

What’s Noteworthy

Small news with big impact

This week, you also need to know the story of 21-year-old Chinese student Li, who was expelled by Dalian Polytechnic University (大连工业大学) for sleeping with Ukrainian e-sports player Danylo Teslenko—known online as ‘Zeus‘ —on the grounds of “harming national dignity.” The case has triggered a massive online debate, with people weighing in from all sides.

The 37-year-old Ukrainian man had shared some intimate footage of their encounter online—content that showed the two in a hotel room, clearly fond of each other, though not sexually explicit. Li, reportedly a fan, had allegedly flown to Shanghai to meet him during his “Asia tour” in December 2024.

The footage soon went viral on Douyin and beyond, leading to Li being doxxed and harassed. She was criticized for allegedly cheating on her boyfriend and for sleeping with a foreigner. Zeus eventually deleted the video once he realized the seriousness of the backlash.

Although the incident took place months ago, it only hit the top of trending lists this week—after the university’s decision to expel her became public. On July 8, the school posted the expulsion notice on its website, naming Li in full and claiming she had already been informed of their decision back in April 2025.

But for what, exactly? That’s the question at the heart of the controversy. People have combed through school regulations, and it’s still unclear which specific rule Li actually broke by having an intimate relationship with a foreigner.

“Huh? Being sexually open can be a reason for expulsion now? And the video wasn’t even uploaded by the girl herself,” one commenter wrote.

Many believe this case is about gender dynamics—and that a male student wouldn’t have faced the same consequences for sleeping with a foreign woman.

Although there are some who condemned Li for bringing shame upon her school and country, the majority view her as a victim on multiple levels. Zeus should never have posted private footage online. The university had no cause to expel or publicly shame her, and online harassment from netizens was unjustified.

Somewhat unexpectedly, prominent Chinese commentator Hu Xijin (胡锡进) has spoken out in her defense, arguing that it was Zeus who embarrassed Ukraine by uploading intimate footage—not Li who brought disgrace to China. He also questioned whether expelling a young woman and pushing her out into society was a proportionate or fair decision.

Li still has time to appeal the university’s decision—but whether she will remains unclear.

What’s On

Handpicked China events for our readers

In the last newsletter, I announced our new events page that keeps track of upcoming, insightful China events happening around the world. The page highlights talks, panels, and lectures covering everything from China’s (digital) culture and society to history, language, and broader geopolitical insights — with a particular focus on events that are accessible virtually.

Some events to look out for this month:

July 24 (Livestreamed): “Chinese Views of the Indo-Pacific Strategy Part of the GIGA China Series, this session examines how Chinese policy experts perceive the Indo-Pacific concept — often seen as a strategy to contain China. While some analysts stress fears of a unified anti-China alliance, others point to strategic diversity among Indo-Pacific actors. Speakers Jérôme Doyon and Mathieu Duchâtel explore how China might respond, from shaping regional narratives to employing wedge strategies. Link.
July 29 (livestreamed) “Shifting Currents: U.S.–China Economic Policy in Transition”
Hosted by Asia Society Northern California, this event gathers academic and policy experts to discuss recent shifts in U.S. economic policy and their implications for China. The panel will explore trade, geopolitics, and the evolving dynamics of the bilateral relationship.. Link.
July 29/30 (depending on your timezone) (Livestreamed): “US-China Relations and the Chinese American Experience”
Organized by the California Alumni Association Chinese Chapter, this talk features Professor Harvey Dong (UC Berkeley) and traces the influence of two centuries of US–China relations on Chinese American communities. From the Opium Wars to the Cold War and beyond, this session offers a timely perspective on diplomacy, migration, and racialization. Link.

Another event that is not livestreamed but taking place at the CHSA Museum in San Francisco on July 26 is a talk by author Laureen D. Hom about The Power of Chinatown. This is the title of her most recent book, in which she explores the tensions between economic development and cultural preservation. Through stories from residents, activists, and business owners, Hom zooms in on L.A.’s Chinatown as a contested site of cultural identity, political struggle, and urban development. Link.

Since this list is manually curated, please do send in any events you think suit the list and interests of What’s on Weibo readers.

See events

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China Military

The Final Countdown: China’s Military Parade on Social Media

The social media storylines behind China’s Victory Day parade.

Published

3 days ago

September 2, 2025

Manya Koetse

🔥 A version of this column also appeared in the Weibo Watch newsletter. Subscribe to stay in the loop.

The final hours of the final countdown to China’s Victory Day, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, have begun. On Wednesday, September 3rd, China will hold what may be its largest-ever military parade, and the social media build-up to the spectacle has started weeks in advance.

The hashtag “Three Day Countdown to the 9.3 Military Parade” (#九三阅兵倒计时3天#) was top trending on Sunday, initiated by Beijing Daily (北京日报), and on Tuesday, Xinhua boosted the big 9.3 countdown hashtag (#九三阅兵倒计时#).

What can we expect? It will be a massive event. Even the empty Tiananmen Square in prep mode already looked impressive.

More than 10,000 troops, over 100 aircraft, and hundreds of pieces of ground equipment will appear in the 70-minute military parade, which will be attended by twenty-six foreign heads of state and government.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve been tracking the trending hashtags related to the parade. Starting from August 11 up to August 31, there have been about 225 different popular hashtags on Chinese social media (Weibo, Douyin, Kuaishou) related to the parade and its preparations.

According to official discourse, as stated by Major General Wu Zeke (吴泽棵) and described China Daily, the military parade is meant to reaffirm China’s commitment to “defending the victorious outcomes of World War II” and “contributing to world peace and development.”

But the hashtags tell a somewhat different story.

💬 A brief note on how hashtags are made, with a focus on Weibo: a hashtag is created by placing a topic between two # signs, which then turns it into a clickable link. In theory, anyone can initiate a hashtag, but in practice, almost all of the trending hashtags related to the parade—as a major political event—are initiated and promoted by officials channels and Chinese state media outlets such as the Communist Youth League, People’s Daily, Global Times, and CCTV Military (央视军事).

I say “almost” because, although the online narrative is largely shaped by official rhetoric, a few hashtags are instead launched by commercial accounts, such as Weibo Military Affairs (微博军事) or Sina Military (新浪军事).

I found that the narratives around the military parade can roughly be grouped into four broad themes:

🔸 Memory & Identity (WWII): V-Day as living heritage, reinforcing Party legitimacy and national identity. Use of wartime songs, veterans’ descendants, and “cross-time dialogues” to bind past sacrifice to present duty, with the “never forget” slogan reiterated everywhere.

🔸 Military Strength & Modernization: Centers on the PLA’s advanced tech and China’s military self-reliance: new weapons making their debut, 100% domestic “active main battle systems,” precision formations, and new PLA flags help build the image of China as a military powerhouse, romanticized by Chinese media.

🔸 Chinese Society (Youth & Women): The parade as a mass-participation event, weaving parade patriotism with everyday life across gender & generations. Focus on participation by China’s younger generations (00后), including viral slang to make it more appealing to youth, and clear attempt to make female honor-guard and militia especially visible.

🔸 China in the World: The parade is perhaps just as much—some say even more—about politics as it is about the military. The guest list is like a diplomatic barometer: attendance by leaders like Putin and Kim Jong-un (amid very few Western counterparts) is read as a signal of China’s global power vs the US.

The red thread through all of this is the power of the Chinese nation under the guidance of the Party.

#1: HISTORY: National Identity through Memory of WWII

Examples of trending hashtags:

#中国人民抗战胜利80周年# 80th Anniversary of the Chinese People’s Victory in the War of Resistance
#这段与先辈的跨时空对话看哭了# This Cross-Time Dialogue With Forefathers Made People Cry
#烽火战歌# Songs of Fire and War
#让战歌点燃我们的烽火记忆# Let War Songs Ignite Our Fiery Memories
#九三阅兵这些旗帜将亮相# These Flags Will Be Unveiled at the 9/3 Military Parade

Memories of World War II—more specifically, the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), known in China as the War of Resistance Against Japan (抗日战争)—have occupied a central place in online narratives this summer. I wrote about this remembrance of war, particularly in Chinese cinemas, in the previous newsletter.

Of course, it is no surprise that a national V-Day event is about the history of war, but what is remembered and how this is done, managed by whom, says a lot about the present and the future.

Here, wartime memory serves as the foundation for Party legitimacy, national identity, and strength. Just as a tree is connected to its roots, the people are meant to remain connected to the history of war—a message that is continuously reiterated in Chinese media: “never forget, always remember.”

The connection between past and present is clarified through art, videos, and music. Wartime, anti-Japanese songs play a big role in the parade, and are also being revived in new settings, such as in a 10-part patriotic production released by CCTV ahead of the parade where these songs are performed by various artists in a historical stage performance that incorporates real WWII footage (watch on Youtube here).

This year, the “cross-time dialogue” (跨时空对话) video trend has also been promoted by official media, spreading (AI) videos imagining encounters where China’s wartime fighters meet modern-day soldiers, who then deliver the message to them that China won, setting their spirit “free” through the power of the new China (see videos).

There is an emphasis on wartime legacies and their continuity into the present military force.

One trending video shows a military training for the parade, with the troops shouting: “Never forget, never forget, never forget! It’s difficult? Think of the national humiliation. Tired? Think of our forefathers during the War of Resistance against Japan.”

The commander then says: “Exactly, this is why we hold military parades. It’s to remember history. Pay tribute to the martyrs. And especially, to carry forward the great spirit of the War of Resistance.”

Another trending topic focused on how the parade will, for the first time, feature new military flags. Under the leadership of the Party flag, national flag, and military flag, several new banners will make their debut, including flags for the PLA Cyberspace Force and the PLA Aerospace Force.

Not only is the debut of these flags symbolic, but so is the selection of their bearers: young, experienced soldiers with personal connections to the past. The Party flag bearer, Wang Zihao (王子赫), for example, is a descendant of WWII fighters. Chinese media have highlighted how he sees his role in the parade as a way to honor his family’s legacy—another example of the media’s emphasis on continuity and strength, grounded in the Party’s leadership.

#2: MILITARY: Showcasing China’s Strength and Modernization

Examples of trending hashtags:

#揭秘九三阅兵装备# Unveiling the Equipment of the 9/3 Parade
#九三阅兵首次亮新型装备占比很大# High Proportion of New Weapons Making Debut at the 9/3 Parade
#天坛和战机同框震一幕# Stunning Scene of the Temple of Heaven and Fighter Jets in the Same Frame
#所有受阅武器装备都是国产现役主战装备# All Parade Equipment To Be Domestic Active Main Battle Systems
#中国战机一出现就是硬核浪漫# The Moment Chinese Fighter Jets Appear, It’s Hardcore Romance
#中国战机披上晚霞金甲# Chinese Fighter Jets Donned in Golden Armor of Sunset Glow

The upcoming parade is not only an event to commemorate history, but also a showcase of the rapid modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Weibo is filled with clips and commentary about the new generation of high-tech weaponry set to appear—from the 191 automatic rifle and the 99A main battle tank to fighter jets, combat drones, and ballistic missiles.

Screenshot of video post by Communist Youth League: Ancient Temple of Heaven & modern fighter jets captured together in a single frame. — Screenshot of video post by Communist Youth League: Ancient Temple of Heaven & modern fighter jets captured together in a single, “desktop-worthy” frame.

But past-meets-present themes also run through the military displays. Traditional weapons are featured alongside modern equipment, and the connection to history is reinforced through visual imagery that’s propagated by official channels.

The Communist Youth League, for example, shared a video that showed the ancient Temple of Heaven and modern fighter jets captured together in a single frame.

The romanticization of China’s military strength is clear: fighter jets glowing in the dawn light, dazzling sky formations, and military choreography executed with perfect precision.

Beyond the visuals, there is also a strong emphasis on military hardware being 100% made in China—developed and produced domestically, and actively in use.

#3: SOCIETY: Patriotic Youth, Strong Women

Examples of trending hashtags:

#想阅兵的心到达了顶峰# My Desire to Watch the Parade Has Hit a Peak
#九三阅兵徒步方队最小队员只有17岁# Youngest Member of the 9/3 Parade Marching Unit Is Just 17
#这就是又美又飒的中国仪仗女兵# These Are China’s Honor-Guard Women: Beautiful and Fierce
#阅兵训练现场女民兵真飒# Women’s Militia at the Parade Training Base Are Truly “Sa” [Fierce]
#仪仗女兵说誓做军中花木兰# Female Honor Guards Swear to Be the Mulan of the Army

Another thing that stands out in the official social media campaign surrounding the military parade is the effort by Chinese media to make the event appeal to a wider domestic audience, especially younger people, by highlighting elements that link the parade to everyday life and by featuring topics that speak to younger viewers.

One way this is done is through the use of internet slang and popular language, such as describing how “super hyped” everyone is for the parade (#九三阅兵期待值拉满#), or that watching China’s parade is “pure satisfaction” (#看中国阅兵一整个舒适了#).

There is also emphasis on how China’s youth play an important role in the V-Day events, with a high number of participants being post-2000s (#九三阅兵仪仗方队00后含量有点高#) and the youngest just 17 years old (#九三阅兵徒步方队最小队员只有17岁#).

The role of women is similarly spotlighted, with multiple stories focusing on the “heroic female militia” and the striking presence of female honor guards (仪仗女兵).

Female honor guards at parade training base.

At the rehearsal grounds, one spokesperson of the female guards of honor declared the women swore to be like Hua Mulan for the army, referring to the legendary Chinese heroine who disguised herself as a man to fight for her family and country.

The phrase (#仪仗女兵说誓做军中花木兰#) went viral and drew widespread praise, though some commenters also questioned why the female honor guards wear skirts instead of trousers.

#4: CHINA IN THE WORLD: A Diplomatic Stage

Example of trending hashtags:

#普京和金正恩等出席抗战纪念活动# Putin & Kim Jong-Un Will Attend V-Day Commemorations
#解读九三阅兵出席嘉宾名单# Decoding the Guest List of the 9/3 Parade
#外媒关注普京和金正恩出席九三阅兵# Foreign Media Focus on Putin and Kim Jong-un Attending the 9/3 Parade
#鸠山由纪夫参加九三阅兵# Yukio Hatoyama Will Attend the 9/3 Parade
#日本妄图给中国九三阅兵按下暂停键# Japan’s Futile Attempt to Hit Pause on China’s 9/3 Parade
#日本呼吁各国别参加九三阅兵意欲何为# What Is Japan’s Intention in Urging Countries Not to Attend the 9/3 Parade

A major theme on Chinese social media regarding the military parade revolves around who will attend, and what message that attendance sends.

On August 28, it was announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are both among 26 foreign heads of state and government leaders expected to attend the military parade.

That Putin would attend the upcoming major parade is no surprise, but the presence of Kim Jong-un is more noteworthy—especially alongside leaders from Iran, Pakistan, Cuba, Nepal, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, with a clear absence of leaders from Western countries.

The gathering of Xi, Putin, and Kim Jong-un in the heart of Beijing is seen not just as a commemorative event, but as a symbolic ‘win’ for China. One political commentator on Weibo noted it was a loss for Washington, pointing out that Trump recently expressed his wish to meet Kim, while US–Russia efforts to end the war in Ukraine have yielded little progress. The September 3 attendance of these leaders underscores China’s shifting and expanding role on the global stage, as well as its alliances in an increasingly tense geopolitical climate.

On August 31, the Taipei Times published a piece about a symposium hosted by the Foundation on Asia-Pacific Peace Studies in Taipei, where several experts and academics discussed the meaning of the upcoming parade.

Steve Yates, former US deputy national security adviser, described the parade as ‘more political than military.’

Chang Kuo-Cheng (張國城), professor of international relations at Taipei Medical University, called it a ‘governance capability competition’ between China and the US, adding that the guest list is meant to signal that China, Russia, and North Korea stand united in the East against NATO.

Tung Li-wen (董立文), executive director of Asia-Pacific Studies, argued that the real highlight of the military parade is not the weapons, but who is invited to watch.

While the foreign guest list serves as a diplomatic barometer, the numerous press briefings, rehearsal videos, and multilingual livestreams highlight how the parade is staged as a global spectacle; a carefully choreographed show of Chinese power.

As the countdown to the September 3 parade reaches its final days, it is becoming clear that the spectacle serves multiple purposes. While the official narrative stresses its role as a tribute to global peace, the parade is just as much about projecting China’s unity and strength — and about Xi Jinping’s ultimate authority over the PLA — at a time of domestic economic stagnation and an unpredictable, turbulent international environment.

💬 In terms of hashtags, the military-themed ones are the most dominant on social media (about 60% of posts, by my count), followed by those stressing the parade’s international significance (18%), with more historical and social themes lagging behind. Still, who knows — the military parade could yet feature some surprise elements, which also wouldn’t surprise me.

Also want to watch the parade? There will be multiple broadcasts and livestreams available on Wednesday (for example, CCTV directly). The parade is expected to start at ~~10:00 AM~~ 9AM Beijing time — though it might be worth tuning in earlier.

Will be watching closely, and I’ll share some key highlights once the parade concludes.

Best,

Manya

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How Female Comedians Are Shaping China’s Stand-Up Boom

Female comedians are taking center stage in a new era of Chinese stand-up, challenging stereotypes and turning jokes into real-life impact.

Published

6 days ago

August 30, 2025

Wendy Huang

Nearly 40% of the lineup on China’s latest hit stand-up comedy shows is female. From ‘Director Fang’ to Wang Yue, this wave of new voices is not just funny—it’s reshaping China’s comedy scene and opening conversations once considered off-limits.

The summer of 2025 has once again put Chinese stand-up comedy in the spotlight. The second season of both iQiyi’s The King of Stand-up Comedy (喜剧之王单口季) and Tencent Video’s Stand-up Comedy and Friends (脱口秀和Ta的朋友们) sparked multiple trending topics across social media—not just for the jokes, but for who’s telling them.

This year, women account for nearly 40% of the combined lineups: 42 out of 107 comedians across both shows.

Just a decade ago, when Tonight 80s Talk Show (今晚80后脱口秀) dominated the field, there was often only one woman—Siwen (思文)—on stage. Even last year, women only made up 24% of The King of Stand-up Comedy’s debut lineup and 27% of Stand-up Comedy and Friends’.

With more women performing, audiences are hearing more stories rooted in lived experiences, touching on relationships, workplace dynamics, and everyday challenges faced by women.

The Rise of New Female Voices

One of the most talked-about breakouts is 50-year-old Fang Zhuren (房主任, literally “Director Fang”).

Her entry into the stand-up comedy world came by chance during an audience interaction. During a performance by Li Bo (李波), a talk show actress, Fang was randomly selected for an interaction with Li. Her nickname “Director Fang” stems from her spontaneous response, as she humorously introduced herself as the “director of the village information center (or the village gossip hub).”

This interaction impressed Li and eventually led her to a contract signing with Li’s talk show* club. Weibo netizens summarized this story with the label of “girls help girls” (#房主任李波girls help girls#).

[*This use of ‘talk show’ refers to the Chinese tuokou xiu 脱口秀, which usually does not refer to a Western-style talk show but (live) stand-up comedy.]

Fang Zhuren (房主任)

Fang’s debut on The King of Stand-up Comedy 2 highlighted the struggles of rural women caught between traditional expectations and harsh realities. Her act, drawing on her own life as an unhappily married rural housewife seeking independence, was even hailed online as the “talk show version” of Like a Rolling Stone (#房主任脱口秀版出走的决心#), referencing the film about China’s “road trip auntie” Su Min (苏敏), who left behind domestic life to pursue freedom.

Other female performers are also making their mark with sharp, personal perspectives:

From left to right: Wang Yue王越, Bu Jingyun (步惊云), Xiaopa (小帕).

🔹 Wang Yue (王越) often addresses the under-discussed topic of menstrual pain, a routine yet overlooked experience for many women.

🔹 Bu Jingyun (步惊云) critiques traditional chastity expectations, referencing the tragic case of a young woman driven to suicide by malicious rumors. She uses the metaphor of “a robot with foot binding going to space” to expose the absurdity of outdated moral codes in modern life.

🔹 Xiaopa (小帕), a young comedian from Xinjiang, draws humor from her turbulent family life. She portrays her father—a man who wasted savings and cycled through marriages—as a “50-year-old boy who never grew up.”

Such routines have sparked heated debates online, many extending far beyond comedy into wider social issues, particularly gender dynamics.

When the Punchline Draws a Battle Line

On July 20, Zhejiang Xuanchuan (浙江宣传), a WeChat account affiliated with the Zhejiang government, published an article titled “Beware of Talk Shows Slipping into the Quagmire of Gender Antagonism” (“谨防脱口秀滑向性别对立的泥潭“).

The controversial article

The article warned against “lazy gender gags” that pit men and women against each other, suggesting comedy should strive for “constructive offense” (建设性冒犯) rather than deepening resentment.

The article has found support among readers but also sparked a wave of retort from some netizens. Some argued that it overlooked the value of talk show actresses in exposing real-life hardships faced by women.

They questioned whether the accusation of “gender antagonism” was, in fact, masking deeper gender inequalities–some netizens argued that male comedians have long relied on sexist jokes.

Examples resurfaced online, such as top comedian Li Dan (李诞) mocking actress Liu Yan (柳岩), or comedian Chi Zi (池子) making offensive remarks about actress Wang Lin (王琳).

The timing added fuel to the fire. On the day the article was published, residents in Hangzhou’s Yuhang District were complaining of foul-smelling tap water, suspected to be sewage, yet local media like Zhejiang Xuanchuan focused on “female talk shows” over a pressing local issue.

A Weibo user wrote: “Between the choice of checking if it is algae or feces in the water pipes, Zhejiang chose to check the talk shows instead.”

Just as the backlash was cooling, veteran entrepreneur Luo Yonghao (罗永浩) reignited the debate.

As a guest on Stand-up Comedy and Friends 2, Luo reposted a review from a viewer who criticized him and host Zhang Shaogang (张绍刚), while praising well-known Chinese stand-up comedian Pang Bo (庞博) on rival show The King of Stand-up Comedy 2. Luo defended Zhang but lashed out at the reviewer, later turning his criticism toward female fan culture.

Responding to netizens, Luo argued that women’s behavior toward male idols was excessively indulgent. He further claimed that admiration for Pang Bo was largely driven by appearance, dismissing it as little more than “looks-based favoritism.”

In a lengthy follow-up post titled “A Veteran Feminist’s Last Piece of Paternalistic Advice” (“老牌女权主义者最后的“爹味儿忠告”), Luo described himself as a longtime feminist but warned against comedians “exploiting” gender issues for cheap laughs. If the industry continues down this path, he argued, it risks “industry-wide collapse.”

Beyond Gender: Comedy as Social Mirror

While topics related to gender and feminism have become a proven traffic driver, another rising theme in Chinese stand-up is comedians transforming personal struggles into humor.

One of them is Xiaopa (小帕), who has openly discussed living with bipolar disorder. By joking about her own diagnosis, she offers the audience a rare mix of vulnerability and wit.

🔹 Then there is Chen Ai (陈艾), who has lived with depression and anxiety. She dryly joked about her visit to a psychiatric hospital that “the depression and anxiety test was the only exam I ever scored high on,” while poking fun at the absurdity of psychiatric questionnaires.

Chen Ai (陈艾)

🔹 Wang Ying (王颖) brings her breast cancer experience into her comedy sets, jokingly calling it a “new comedy track” she has opened up, making breast cancer a subject of shared laughter.

Wang Ying (王颖)

Before them, physically disabled stand-up comedians were already gaining popularity in China, such as Hei Deng (黑灯), who is blind, and Xiao Jia (小佳), a rising star with cerebral palsy. Both earned recognition from netizens by telling jokes about their disabilities and the experiences that came with them.

Hei Deng (黑灯) on the left, and Xiao Jia (小佳) on the right.

These performances show how stand-up comedy can spark laughter while simultaneously addressing deeper social issues.

Some audience members, however, feel such heavy topics weigh down the art form, arguing that comedy should remain funny and light. Others argue the stage itself is a public space, reflective of society at large, where laughter is only one layer, and deeper reflection is inevitable.

But beyond reflection, these comedians can translate humor into real, practical impact.

Hei Deng once joked about strips of tactile paving made from slippery steel—meant to guide the visually impaired, it instead put them in harm’s way on rainy days. The clip went viral, and surprisingly, city officials in Shenzhen soon replaced the material and fixed the problem. A simple gag actually ended up changing public infrastructure.

Hei joked about these paves that are meant to guide visually impaired pedestrians, but actually makes them slip after the rain (source).

Fixing the slippery steel guidance for visually impaired.

The same kind of dynamic plays out when female comedians bring menstruation, cramps, or the burdens of motherhood on stage. These are not just personal stories or “women’s issues.”

When Wang Yue joked about menstrual pain on stage, show guest Guo Qilin (郭麒麟)—a well-known Chinese actor and xiangsheng (相声, or crosstalk) performer—remarked that her performance didn’t sound like a complaint, but more like a science lecture— allowing many male viewers to better understand the experience for the first time. His reaction underscores a quiet truth: when women’s experiences are silenced, men also lose the chance to understand, empathize, and adjust their behavior.

Host Chen Luyu (陈鲁豫): “Women make up half of humanity, and the female perspective is, in fact, the human perspective.”

Gender stereotypes don’t just confine women; they warp expectations for everyone. Take menstrual pain, for example. It isn’t only about the suffering women endure, but also about arguments between couples, company leave policies, and even restroom design. Likewise, son preference is not just about undervaluing women; it also places crushing pressure on young men, who are expected to buy an apartment before getting married. In other words, when women’s issues are properly addressed, everyone benefits.

As host Chen Luyu (陈鲁豫) put it, “Women make up half of humanity, and the female perspective is, in fact, the human perspective.”

Luckily, more women are stepping into the spotlight, reshaping China’s stand-up scene, and opening conversations that were once considered off-limits.

And this is just the beginning. As comedian Pang Bo observed: “They (她们, specifically women) still have a lot of issues to discuss with everyone.”

As both the iQiyi and Tencent competitions head toward their finals in early September, many wonder if a female comedian will take the crown this year?

Whatever the outcome, the stage has already changed.

By Wendy Huang
Edited by Manya Koetse

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