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The Chunwan Liveblog: Watching the 2021 CMG Spring Festival Gala

We’re here to keep you updated about the CMG Spring Festival Gala, China’s biggest New Year’s TV event.

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WHAT’S ON WEIBO ARCHIVE | PREMIUM CONTENT ARTICLE

Happy Niu Year! The Lunar New Year is here, and that means millions of Chinese families are watching the annual 4-hour-long live Spring Festival Gala as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Watch the event together with What’s on Weibo, as we will liveblog throughout the show. (This event had ended, liveblog is now closed!)

In these turbulent times when everything is changing, there is one thing to count on, and that is the airing of China’s Spring Festival Gala. Despite the pandemic, the 39th edition of the festival will go ahead.

A live-streaming of the Gala will be live on Thursday, February 11, 20.00 pm China Standard Time. Check out this YouTube link, live stream from Weibo, or watch straight from CCTV. We will be live-blogging on this page here.

 

What Exactly is the ‘Chunwan’ Gala?

 

China’s CCTV Spring Festival Gala (中国中央电视台春节联欢晚会), commonly abbreviated to chūnwǎn (春晚), is an annual TV gala to celebrate the start of the new year and it is the most-watched show in the world. Although it is known as the CCTV Gala, it is now officially presented as being hosted by “China Media Group” (CMG), the predominant state media company founded in 2018 that holds China Central Television, China National Radio, and China Radio International.

Since its very first airing in 1983, the Spring Festival Gala has captured an audience of millions. In 2010, the live Gala had a viewership of 730 million; in 2014, it had reached a viewership of 900 million, and in 2019, over a billion people watched the Gala on TV and online, making the show much bigger in terms of viewership than, for example, the Super Bowl.

The show lasts a total of four hours and usually has around 30 to 40 different acts, from dance to singing and acrobatics. The acts that are both most-loved and most-dreaded are the comic sketches (小品) and crosstalk (相声); they are usually the funniest, but also convey the most political messages.

As viewer ratings of the CCTV Gala in the 21st century have skyrocketed, so has the critique on the show – which seems to be growing year-on-year. According to many viewers, the spectacle generally is often “way too political” with its display of communist nostalgia, including the performance of different revolutionary songs such as “Without the Communist Party, There is No New China” (没有共产党就没有新中国).

For this same reason, the sentence “There’ll never be a worst, just worse than last year” (“央视春晚，没有最烂，只有更烂”) has become a well-known idiom connected to the Gala.

If you want to know more about the previous editions, we also live-blogged
– 2020: CCTV New Year’s Gala 2020
– 2019: The CCTV Spring Festival Gala 2019 Live Blog
– 2018: CCTV Spring Festival Gala 2018 (Live Blog)
– 2017: CCTV New Year’s Gala 2017 Live Blog
– 2016: CCTV’s New Year’s Gala 2016 Liveblog

 

Liveblog CCTV Gala 2021

 
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The original liveblog was done via a third-party app. The original texts and images are copied below for reference. The timestamp refers to the last moment that post was updated.
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What can we expect?

Feb 11 17:07

The show is starting a couple of hours from now, what can we expect?

The Spring Festival Gala usually always focuses on the themes that matter to Chinese authorities, as the event is an important moment to communicate official ideology. The themes and topic that will matter this year are the following:

– China’s battle against COVID19
– the Chinese Communist Party marks its 100th anniversary
– China’s eradication of poverty
– The upcoming Winter Olympics

These themes are likely to come up in various acts, or in the public service announcement or special moments throughout the show. Tonight, there will be a total of 36 acts including songs, dance acts, skits, acrobatics, martial arts, and some magic.

——–

What Is Weibo Anticipating Most Tonight?

Feb 11 19:15

Just an hour to go before the Gala will start! On Weibo, there are various hashtags related to the Gala, including “Chunwan Year of the Ox” (#牛年春晚#), which is already up to 270 million views at this point.

People look most forward to seeing the super popular Wang Yibo on stage, which will be in the early parts of the Gala. People also look forward to seeing Chinese top actress Yang Mi, she will be performing together with Chinese actor Liu Ye in one the show’s final acts. Then there’s the appearance of former ‘Supergirl’ star Li Yuchun, who will appear in a fashion show act that many look forward to.

We also look forward to seeing a skit that is titled “Pressured into Marriage Every Year.” Then of course, there will be the inevitable performance by Jackie Chan that always leads to some online discussions. We’re also curious to see that fashion show that highlights Chinese fashion using hologram technology.

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Starting in 5 Minutes!

Feb 11 19:59

Are you ready? Make sure you watch the live stream here or on YouTube here. Turn on the sound – you’ll hear pings coming up when we add an update to comment on the show throughout the night.

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Opening Dance

Feb 11 20:03

And…it’s begun! This first act of the night is a singing and dancing act titles “Best Wishes” (“万事如意” wàn shì rú yì – a Chinese idiom that means ‘may all your hopes be fulfilled.’)

This acts opens with some famous names (although there will be famous names throughout the show). The very pretty Tong Liya 佟丽娅 is an actress and dancer who was born in Xinjiang, she is of the Xibo ethnicity. William Chan Wai-ting is famous a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. We also see the actress Jiang Shuying on stage, also known as Maggie Jiang.

Performed by: Tong Liya 佟丽娅, Chen Weiting 陈伟霆 (Hong Kong), Jiang Shuying 江疏影, Du Jiang 杜江, Ouyang Nana 欧阳娜娜 (Taiwan), Long Zilan 龙紫岚 (Macau).

Updated with video link:

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Hosts of Chunwan 2021

Feb 11 20:06

Tonight’s hosts are Ren Luyu (任鲁豫), Li Sisi (李思思), Nëghmet Raxman (尼格买提), Long Yang (龙洋), and Zhang Tao (张韬).

Ren Luyu (1978) is a Chinese television host from Henan, and he has presented the Gala many times before (2010, 2016, 2018, 2019) so he is a very familiar face to the show.

Nëghmet Raxman (1983) is a Chinese television host of Uyghur heritage who also is not a newcomer; he hosted the Gala since 2015.

Li Sisi (1986) is a Chinese television host and media personality most known for her role as host of the Gala since 2012.

Then there are also two ‘newcomers.’ Long Yang (1989) is the youngest presenter tonight. Born in Hunan’s Chenzhou, she’s been working in Chinese state media for years. As a host, she’s done various big events before, but 2021 is the first time for her to host the CMG Spring Festival Gala.

Also for Zhang Tao (1988?) it is going to be the first time to present the show. Zhang currently hosts the CCTV4 China News and previously worked at Chongqing TV.

——–

Song and Dance “Holiday”

Feb 11 20:12

This act is called Holiday (节日), and includes African, Egyptian, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese influences.

There are some famous people involved in this act, such as the 70-year-old singer Zhu Mingying (朱明瑛) and the Chinese actor Zhang Han (张翰).

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance.

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Tech Innovation at the Gala

Feb 11 20:16

The Gala is always a time to showcase China’s innovative digitalization. This year, the Gala is also called a “tech innovation event,” which, for the first time, will use 8K ultra high-tech definition video and AI+VR studio technologies.

The event also features the innovative use of super high definition cloud communication technology to coordinate performances on stage.

As reported by CCTV, some actors who are not in the Chinese mainland and aren’t able to perform live due to the COVID-19 pandemic will still be “on stage”; the cloud technology allows actors who can’t be physically present during the live performances to participate via prerecorded videos while also remotely interacting with the audience.

Chinese state media have been announcing the tech integrated in the show, calling it “a breakthrough in new media communication.” It’s all about 4K, 5G, AR, AI, 3D, and 8K!

This year, the Gala is cooperating with the Douyin app for its ‘hongbao’ (red envelope) activities.

——–

Yue Yunpeng & Sun Yue Crosstalk

Feb 11 20:26

This is the first xiangsheng of the night. Xiangsheng (相声), or ‘crosstalk,’ is a dialogue between actors with rich puns and word jokes, that usually sees two actors with one playing the “joker” and the other playing the “teaser. ”

On stage, we see Chinese actor Yue Yunpeng (1985), who is particularly known for his xiangsheng performances, together with well-known Beijing-born comedian Sun Yue (1979). This is a famous duo, they’ve previously also performed together at the Gala.

The two are looking back at the songs that have appeared at the festival throughout the years – all songs that the audience can sing together with them.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance.

——–

Chinese New Year Face Masks

Feb 11 20:22

Today’s event is taking place with an audience attending, as every year. This is also possible due to China’s super strict COVID19 measures and requirements.

What is noteworthy is the masks worn by every audience member – they are special Year of the Ox Spring Festival face masks made by the China Media Group for this occasion. How very 2021.

——–

Traditional Jokes

Feb 11 20:29

Some jokes just never get old.. like this one, that also surfaced on Chinese social media last year.

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Andy Lau, Wang Yibo, Guan Xiaotong “Niu Qilai”

Feb 11 21:59

OMG! Robot ox, virtual ox, 3D ox – Year of the Ox in China’s digital era!

Here comes Andy Lau, one of Hong Kong’s most famous actors. But it’s probably not Andy that most people are excited about now – it’s Wang Yibo, one of Weibo’s most influential celebrities of the moment.

Talking about the most-anticipated act of this night, it’s actually Wang Yibo according to social media users – there was an online poll on who they want to see most tonight.

Wang Yibo (1997) is a Chinese actor, singer, dancer, and rapper who debuted as a member of the South Korean-Chinese boyband UNIQ in 2014 and starred in the 2019 Chinese TV series The Untamed (陈情令). On Sina Weibo, the celebrity was the champion of Weibo’s ‘Most Influential Celebrity’ charts recently – he really has a huge online fanbase.

Also performing here is Beijing actress Guan Xiaotong (1997), who is also known as the ‘national daughter’ for always playing the daughter roles in tv-series and movies. Remember that time when Weibo servers were down due to a celebrity relationship announcement? That was about Guan and her relationship with Chinese singer and actor Lu Han.

Updated with video link:

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Martial Arts Meet High Tech

Feb 11 20:47

This act is titled “Heroes of Heaven and Earth” (天地英雄) and uses AR technology to integrate nature landscapes into martial arts scenes.

And then there’s this performer who is hanging by her hair that is causing some discussion online:

em>Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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“How come Andy Lau never gets old?!”

Feb 11 20:43

Meanwhile, on Chinese social media, netizens are discussing why it seems that everyone is getting older except for actor Andy Lau, who performed in the act before this. Andy Lau was born in the Year of the Ox and he’s 60 years old!

Fun fact: all of the performers in that act, namely Andy Lau, Guan Xiaotong, and Wang Yibo were all born in the Year of the Ox.

——–

The 2021 Theme and Director

Feb 11 20:50

While we are into the sixth act of the night, let’s look at the theme and director of this show for a second.

After themes such as “New China”, “Chinese Dream”, “National Unity”, “Family Affinity”, and “Chinese values, Chinese power,” this year’s theme is focused on reflecting the daily lives of ordinary people.

Due to COVID19, this is also a special edition of the festival. Usually, it takes place from various locations with different hosts across China. This year, that is not the case.

This year’s chief director is Chen Linchun (陈临春). After the Guangdong director Yang Dongsheng (杨东升) directed the CCTV Gala in 2017, 2018, and 2020, it’s a different chief director for a change, but Chen is definitely no stranger to the Gala. He previously directed the event in 2008 and 2011 and was also closely involved in the production before.

The Gala is always completely rehearsed multiple times before the live show. The fifth rehearsal of the Gala took place on Tuesday.

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New Social Media Traditions are Born

Feb 11 22:00

Another “new tradition” is online shopping while watching the festival.

——–

“Running Youth”

Feb 11 21:03

This song is called “Running Youth” (奔跑的青春), performed by many well-known faces.

One of them is the popular Dilraba Dilmurat 迪丽热巴, a young Chinese actress of Uyghur ethnicity.

em>Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Special Program: “Report to the Motherland”

Feb 11 21:10

This special part of the show invites Chinese space experts to tell the story of spaceflight, and there will be representatives of the “2020 Poverty Alleviation Award” to shortly address China’s anti-poverty efforts.

em>Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

——–

Andy Lau became a meme already

Feb 11 21:08

Meanwhile.. on Weibo, the actor Andy Lau who performed earlier tonight seems to have become a meme, with people sharing this segment of the song that wishes everyone a prosperous New Year. Gōng xǐ fā cái!

——–

“The Road of Pursuing Dreams,” Performed by Han Hong

Feb 11 21:14

This song titled “The Road of Pursuing Dreams” (追梦之路) performed by Han Hong (韩红), a famous singer and songwriter of mixed Han and Tibetan ethnicity. She became a topic of banter on social media for earlier performances during the Chunwan that were a bit awkward.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Beautiful Jasmine Dance

Feb 11 21:19

This dance is called “Jasmine” (茉莉) with the lead dancer Meng Qingyang and performance by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group.

Updated with video link:

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(Act 10) Skit: “Balcony”

Feb 11 21:38

This skit was among one of the more anticipated performances tonight. It is focused on the early days of the epidemic in China and how to overcome hardships.

The skit is about people during the lockdown who are worried about family members working on the frontlines. Neighbors use drones to pass on food.

The end of the lockdown is then lifted (looking back on April 2020), which is celebrated. The Gala switches to scenes of Wuhan and real frontline workers.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

——–

“Tomorrow Will Be Better”

Feb 11 21:46

This song, titled “Tomorrow Will Be Better” (明天会更好) is a clear reference to the pandemic and it is sung by, among others, Jackie Chan! It continues on the same stage and in the same setting as the skit before this.

Jackie Chan (成龙) has become an annually returning performer at the CCTV Gala. Although his performances are always much-anticipated, they’ve also been pretty cringe-worthy. In 2017, the song performed by Jackie that was simply titled “Nation” was met with criticism for being overly political. In 2018, the Hong Kong martial artist sung a song that was called “China” and in 2019 he performed ‘My Struggle, My Happiness.’

We also see Zhu Yilong on stage, a Chinese actor born in 1988. He was voted as one of the actors that Chinese social media users were looking forward to see most at tonight’s Gala.

(Picture above shows performer with “thank you” on this shirt). Many netizens say they are moved to tears by this song and the memory of everything that happened last year during the early days of the outbreak in Wuhan.

Updated with video link:

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The “Tomorrow Will Be Better Song” Moved Many to Tears

Feb 11 21:48

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“China in the Lights”

Feb 11 21:51

The Gala is moving fast! “China in the Lights” (灯火里的中国) preceded the skit that is now on stage, and it was sung by Chinese singers Zhang Ye (张也) and Zhou Shen (周深, also known as Charlie Zhou), accompanied by performers from the Evergrande Folk Song and Dance Troupe and others.

em>Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Spring Cleaning (大扫除)

Feb 11 21:57

This performance is called ‘Spring Cleaning’ (大扫除), referring to the custom of cleaning the house before the Chinese New Year – a way of driving away the bad luck of the previous year to allow for a new start.

Performing here are Sun Tao (孙涛), Wang Xun (王迅), Qin Hailu (秦海璐), Huang Zitao (黄子韬). The skit makes fun of Chinese bureaucracy.

This skit is especially noteworthy because Chinese singer-songwriter, rapper, actor, and model Huang Zitao is in it. He became super popular as a former member of the South Korean-Chinese boy band Exo and its Chinese sub-unit, Exo-M.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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FASHION SHOW

Feb 11 22:20

This fashion show (山水霓裳) takes place around Li Yuchun’s solo performance, and it highlights the beauty of Chinese costumes in a new way. As state media previously reported, the fashion show uses split-screen shooting and hologram technology to show the beauty of Chinese costumes to “demonstrate cultural confidence.”

Around 2013, Li Yuchun was one of the most discussed female artists on the Chinese Internet. She was the winner of China’s ‘Supergirl’ TV show and became a national idol and a cultural phenomenon. Due to her androgynous look, Li Yuchun’s stardom led to online discussions on the tomboy trend and sexuality, as she challenged the conventional Chinese criteria for feminine aesthetics and traditional gender norms. It is the third time for Li to participate in the Gala.

Updated with video link:

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如此家长

Feb 11 22:21

Here is another xiangsheng act now with performers Jin Fei (金霏) and Chen Xi (陈曦). The act is about being parents and children’s education.

Some people on Weibo are joking that it’s good that the audience is wearing face masks so nobody has to pretend to laugh when they think the jokes aren’t funny.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Relatives – Weibo blowing up!

Feb 11 22:28

This song is super popular, social media is exploding, because superstars Zhang Jie and Yi Yang Qianxi (Jackson Yee) are on stage. Jackson Yee became the youngest member of the Chinese boy band TFBoys in 2013 and is also a solo artist and singer, he has an enormous fanbase on social media.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Chinese Opera (盛世百花园)

Feb 11 22:38

In comparison to other acts, there are few Chinese Opera acts in the Spring Festival Gala nowadays, but this is an elaborate act that includes many famous names.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Lay Zhang Is Here

Feb 11 22:45

This act was among the acts that was discussed the most on social media before the Spring Festival Gala began, because it is Lay Zhang (张艺兴) singing “Picture Scroll” (画卷). Zhang is a Chinese singer-songwriter, music producer, dancer, and actor. He debuted as a member of the South Korean-Chinese boy group Exo.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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On the Train to Spring

Feb 11 23:07

This performance is called “Towards the Happiness of Spring Days” (开往春天的幸福) and takes place on the high-speed train. The skit has a focus on hard work, duty, and also touches upon China’s rapid developments (the gaotie train, 5G, etc).

One of the performers in this skit is Chinese actress Ni Ni, who is praised on social media for her slim and pretty body figure.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Shepherds of Keketuohai

Feb 11 23:07

This song is called “Shepherds of Keketuohai (可可托海的牧羊人) performed by artist Wang Qi (王琪) and actress Luo Wenbo (骆文博). This song was released earlier in 2020.

Keketuohai is a national park / scenic area in Xinjiang that has many geological wonders.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Pressured to Marry

Feb 11 23:21

“Pressured to Marry Every Holiday” (每逢佳节被催婚) is a skit that focuses on the social pressure many Chinese young people feel, especially during Chinese New Year, when parents and relatives will ask them why they still are not married?! This had led to the phenomenon of people ‘renting’ fake boyfriends or girlfriends to avoid nagging questions, something that is also mentioned in this performance.

Some people on social media actually dread this skit because they are single and pressured, and this doesn’t help!



Performed by: Kaili Zhang 张凯丽, Zhang Guoqiang 张国强, Wan Xi 万茜, Ren Jialun 任嘉伦, Wu Hailong 吴海龙, Zhang Weiwei 张维威

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Children’s Song and Dance

Feb 11 23:32

“Listen to me” is the 22nd act of tonight (we’re not there yet.. still 14 more to go OMG!). This dance is performed by the Air Force Blue Sky Children’s Art Troupe.

Also on stage are ‘Sister Moon’ and Wang Yuan (Roy Wang), who is known as one of China’s most influential teens, although he is now 20 years old.

Luo Tianyi was also in this performance, a Chinese Vocaloid released by Shanghai Henian Information Technology Co. in 2012. She is the first Vocaloid Chinese singer.

Updated with video link:

——–

Crested Ibis

Feb 11 23:36

Zhu Jiejing (朱洁静) is here with the dance performance Zhuhuan (朱鹮), referring to the Crested ibis (a type of bird).

Zhu (1985) is a top dancer in China. She was recruited by Shanghai Dance School at the age of 9 and went on to have a flourishing career.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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National treasures returning home

Feb 11 23:41

Chinese actor Zhang Guoli is presenting this segment, which is a special part of the program about cultural relics that “return home”, meaning they returned to the mainland from overseas.

The Buddha head that is introduced here was returned from Japan.

The idea behind this “returning to the motherland” segment is of course also symbolical – stressing the importance of the Chinese nation as the (cultural) home.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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“I love you China”

Feb 11 23:47

An ode to China in this piece titled “I love China’ (我爱你中国), with on piano Li Yundi, the famous concert pianist, and dance by Tan Yuanyuan (Chinese American) and Zhang Aoyue.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Meanwhile on Taobao…

Feb 11 23:49

Meanwhile, the Chunyun is flourishing on e-commerce platform Taobao as well. Some Taobao sellers have managed to collect entire wardrobes of performers worn on stage just now.

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“Be Rest Assured, China”

Feb 11 23:55

China’s military power is the focus in this scene, where Lei Jia sings “Don’t Worry, Homeland” with images of the military in the background.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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100 Years Communist Party

Feb 11 23:58

This song (唱支山歌给党听) is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CCP.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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HAPPY NIU YEAR!

Feb 11 23:59

While people on social media are complaining their parents are falling asleep, it’s 0:00 in Mainland China. The New Year is here!

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The Big Reunion

Feb 12 00:12

An inescapable part of Chunwan is the moment where everyone gets together and all ethnic groups and age groups and types of performances are thrown out on the stage together. That moment is now. This song is called “All People are One” (万众一心).

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

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Silly jokes keep coming

Feb 12 00:12

As we’re entering some of the final acts, some Chinese social media users have found a striking similarity between popstar Huang Zitao and the Buddha head that was just proudly presented on the #SpringFestivalGala as a national treasure returned to the motherland.

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Catching up…

Feb 12 00:18

The final acts of the night are always seemingly going much faster than the first (or we’re getting more tired), so what did we miss? The people you saw earlier were representatives of national medals and national honorary titles, including some people honored in the fight against COVID19.

There was the Peaceful Snow Picture song (瑞雪平安图) featuring Han Xue, Yuan Jiawei, and Wang Junkai – who is hugely popular as a member of the TFBoys.

We have now arrived at the xiangsheng act featuring Li Yinfei and Ye Peng.

——–

Sun Nan

Feb 12 00:24

Chinese singer Sun Nan is a recurring performer on the Spring Festival Gala. He was also the singer who danced together with 540 robots in an earlier version of the gala.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

——–

Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli Sing “Fall on Me”

Feb 12 00:30

These Italian performers joined via ‘cloud’ performance and were not actually in Beijing.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

——–

Burning Snowflakes/Love is Here (Olympic 2022 Song)

Feb 12 00:37

This performance is called ‘Burning Snowflakes’ (燃烧的雪花) and it is among the acts that was discussed a lot before tonight due to the participation of Yang Mi (1986).

This beautiful actress and singer gained fame and popularity through her various roles in Chinese hit TV dramas. Born in Beijing, Yang already started her acting career at the age of 4. Yang is now seen as one of Chinas biggest actresses, and also as one with the most commercial value; she was listed in the Top 10 Forbes Chinese Celebrities of 2020. And with 110 million fans (!) on her Weibo account, she is one of the most popular social media stars in China.

Also on stage is Chinese actor Liu Ye (刘烨, 1978), who is regarded as one of China’s top actors.

The enormous dancing panda on stage perhaps tells us more on what we can expect for the Winter Olympics in China in 2022.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

——–

Meanwhile..

Feb 12 00:47

While the show is entering its final phase and Jay Chou is singing Mojito.. (virtual presence via cloud tech, he’s not in the studio)..

..the news that BBC is no longer allowed to broadcast in mainland China is already called the biggest news of the Chinese New Year.

Updated with video links:
Link to video of Jay Chou performance; Link to video of following performance

——–

The Last Dance

Feb 12 00:30

This is the last dance of the night, a dance for ‘good luck’ featuring lead dancers Wang Haitian and Zhou Xu, with a performance by the China Eastern Performing Arts Group.

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

——–

Unforgettable Night

Feb 12 00:55

Unforgettable Night! The last song of this night is “Unforgettable Night” (难忘今宵).

It is sung by the senior singer and dancer Li Guyi (李谷一), who became famous with the song ‘Homeland Love’ (乡恋) around the time of China’s Reform and Opening Up – the singer and her songs are nostalgic for many viewers. Li Guyi also appeared at the very first version of the Gala in 1983, and became the singer that sang the most at the event.

Li Guyi sings the same song every year at the end of this show. The last song ends with all performers of the Beijing venue on stage. The song repeats the phrases 共祝愿 祖国好: let’s all wish together that the country will be good, that it will last long and be prosperous. The hosts wish everyone a happy new year, and much luck for the new year. And so do we! It’s a wrap, happy niu year to you!

Updated with video link:
Link to video of this performance

By Manya Koetse and Miranda Barnes

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China Celebs

Three Reasons Why Lipstick King’s ‘Eyebrow Pencil Gate’ Has Blown Up

From beauty guru to betrayal: why one livestream moment is shaking China’s internet.

Manya Koetse

Published

2 weeks ago

on

September 13, 2023

By

PREMIUM CONTENT

Li Jiaqi, also known as Austin Li the ‘Lipstick King,’ has become the focus of intense media attention in China over the past days.

The controversy began when the popular beauty influencer responded with apparent annoyance to a viewer’s comment about the high price of an eyebrow pencil. As a result, his fans began unfollowing him, netizens started scolding him, Chinese state criticized him, and the memes started flooding in.

Li Jiaqi’s tearful apology did not fix anything.

We reported about the incident here shortly after it went trending, and you can see the translated video of the moment here:

The incident may seem minor at first glance. Li was merely promoting Florasis brand (花西子) eyebrow pencils, and some viewers expressed their opinion that the pencils, priced at 79 yuan ($11), had become more expensive.

In response, Li displayed irritation, questioning, “Expensive how?” He went on to suggest that viewers should also reflect on their own efforts and whether they were working hard enough to get a salary increase.

But there is more to this incident than just an $11 pencil and an unsympathetic response.

 

#1 The King Who Forgot the People Who Crowned Him

 

The initial reaction of netizens to Li Jiaqi’s remarks during the September 10th livestream was characterized by a strong sense of anger and disappointment.

Although celebrities often face scrutiny when displaying signs of arrogance after their rise to fame, the position of Li Jiaqi in the wanghong (internet celebrity) scene has been especially unique. He initially worked as a beauty consultant for L’Oreal within a shopping mall before embarking on his livestreaming career through Alibaba’s Taobao platform.

In a time when consumers have access to thousands of makeup products across various price ranges, Li Jiaqi established himself as a trusted cosmetics expert. People relied on his expertise to recommend the right products at the right prices, and his practice of personally applying and showcasing various lipstick colors made him all the more popular. He soon garnered millions of online fans who started calling him the Lipstick King.

By 2018, he had already amassed a significant fortune of 10 million yuan ($1.53 million). Fast forward three years, and his wealth had ballooned to an astonishing 18.5 billion yuan ($2.5 billion).

Despite his growing wealth, Li continued to enjoy the support of his fans, who appreciated his honest assessments of products during live testing sessions. He was known for candidly informing viewers when a product wasn’t worth buying, and the story of his humble beginnings as a shop assistant played a major role in why people trusted him and wanted him to succeed.

However, his recent change in tone, where he no longer seemed considerate of viewers who might find an $11 brow pencil to be expensive, suggests that he may have lost touch with his own customer base. Some individuals perceive this shift as a form of actual “betrayal” (背叛), as if a close friend has turned their back on them.

The viral cartoon shows Li Jiaqi going from a friendly beggar to angry rat.

One cartoon shared on social media shows Li Jiaqi, with mouse ears, as he initially begs his online viewers for money. However, as he becomes more prosperous, the cartoon portrays him gradually growing arrogant and eventually scolding those who helped him rise to fame.

Many people accuse Li of being insincere, suggesting that he revealed his true colors during that short livestream moment. This is also one of the reasons why most commenters say they do not believe his tears during his apology video.

“He betrayed China’s working class,” one popular vlog suggested.

 

#2 Internet Celebrity Crossing the Lines

 

Another reason why the incident involving Li Jiaqi is causing such a storm is related to the media context in which Chinese (internet) celebrities operate and what is expected of them.

Whether you are an actor, singer, comedian, or a famous livestreamer/e-commerce influencer, Chinese celebrities and performers are seen as fulfilling an exemplary role in society, serving the people and the nation (Jeffrey & Xu 2023). This is why, as explained in the 2019 research report by Jonathan Sullivan and Séagh Kehoe, moral components play such a significant role in Chinese celebrity culture.

In today’s age of social media, the role of celebrities in society has evolved to become even more significant as they have a vast reach and profound influence that extends to countless people and industries.

Their powerful influence makes celebrities important tools for authorities to convey messages that align with their goals – and definitely not contradict them. Through the media and cultural industries, the state can exert a certain level of control within the symbolic economy in which celebrities operate, as discussed by Sullivan and Kehoe in their 2019 work (p. 242).

This control over celebrities’ actions became particularly evident in the case of Li Jiaqi in 2022, following the ‘cake tank incident’ (坦克蛋糕事件). This incident unfolded during one of his livestreams when Li Jiaqi and his co-host introduced a chocolate cake in the shape of a tank, with an assistant in the back mentioning something about the sound of shooting coming from a tank (“坦克突突”). This livestream took place on June 3rd, on the night before the 33rd anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen protests.

While Li Jiaqi did not directly touch upon a politically sensitive issue with his controversial livestream, his actions were perceived as a disregard for customer loyalty and displayed an arrogance inconsistent with socialist core values. This behavior garnered criticism in a recent post by the state media outlet CCTV.

Post by CCTV condemning Li’s behavior.

Other state media outlets and official channels have joined in responding to the issue, amplifying the narrative of a conflict between the ‘common people’ and the ‘arrogant influencer.’

 

#3 Striking a Wrong Chord in Challenging Times

 

Lastly, Li Jiaqi’s controversial livestream moment also became especially big due to the specific words he said about people needing to reflect on their own work efforts if they cannot afford a $11 eyebrow pencil.

Various online discussions and some media, including CNN, are tying the backlash to young unemployment, tepid consumer spending, and the ongoing economic challenges faced by workers in China.

Since recent years, the term nèijuǎn (‘involution’, 内卷) has gained prominence when discussing the frustrations experienced by many young people in China. It serves as a concept to explain the social dynamics of China’s growing middle class who often find themselves stuck in a “rat race”; a highly competitive education and work environment, where everyone is continually intensifying their efforts to outperform one another, leading to this catch 22 situation where everyone appears to be caught in an unending cycle of exertion without substantial progress (read more here).

Weibo commenters note that, given China’s current employment situation and wage levels, hard work is not necessarily awarded with higher income. This context makes Li Jiaqi’s comments seem even more unnecessary and disconnected from the realities faced by his customers. One Shanghai surgeon responded to Li’s comments, saying that the fact that his salary has not increased over the last few year certainly is not because he is not working hard enough (#上海胸外科医生回应李佳琦言论#).

Some observers also recognize that Li, as an e-commerce professional, is, in a way, trapped in the same cycle of “inversion” where brands are continuously driving prices down to such low levels that consumers perceive it as the new normal. However, this pricing strategy may not be sustainable in the long run. (Ironically, some brands currently profiting from the controversy by promoting their own 79 yuan deals, suggesting their deal is much better than Li’s. Among them is the domestic brand Bee & Flower 蜂花, which is offering special skin care products sets for 79 yuan in light of the controversy.)

Many discussions therefore also revolve around the question of whether 79 yuan or $11 can be considered expensive for an eyebrow pencil, and opinions are divided. Some argue that people pay much more for skincare products, while others point out that if you were to weigh the actual quantity of pencil color, its price would surpass that of gold.

The incident has sparked discussions about the significance of 79 yuan in today’s times, under the hashtag “What is 79 yuan to normal people” (#79元对于普通人来说意味着什么#).

People have shared their perspectives, highlighting what this amount means in their daily lives. For some, it represents an entire day’s worth of home-cooked meals for a family. It exceeds the daily wages of certain workers, like street cleaners. Others equate it to the cost of 15 office lunches.

One netizen posts 79 yuan ($10.9) worth of groceries.

Amid all these discussions, it also becomes clear that many people are trying to live a frugal live in a time when their wages are not increasing, and that Li’s comments are just one reason to vent their frustrations about the situation they are in, In those regards, Li’s remarks really come at a wrong time, especially coming from a billionaire.

Will Li be able to continue his career after this?

Some are suggesting that it is time for Li to take some rest, speculating that Li’s behavior might stem from burn-out and mental issues. Others think that Li’s hardcore fans will remain loyal to their e-commerce idol.

For now, Li Jiaqi must tread carefully. He has already lost 1.3 million followers on his Weibo account. What’s even more challenging than regaining those one million followers is rebuilding the trust of his viewers.

By Manya Koetse

with contributions by Miranda Barnes

Jeffreys, Elaine, and Jian Xu. 2023. “Governing China’s Celebrities.” Australian Institute of International Affairs, 18 May https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/governing-chinas-celebrities/ [12 Sep 2023].

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

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China Brands, Marketing & Consumers

Eyebrow Pencil Gate: “Lipstick King” Li Jiaqi Loses 630,000 Fans In One Night

China’s famous beauty livestreamer Li Jiaqi is in hot water after his annoyed response about an $11 eyebrow pencil.

Manya Koetse

Published

2 weeks ago

on

September 11, 2023

By

Li Jiaqi is facing controversy for remarks he made during his recent e-commerce livestream. When viewers made comments about an eyebrow pencil being expensive, he lashed out and asked them if they worked hard enough. Due to his cold attitude and arrogant comments, the ‘lipstick king’ seems to have lost his crown.

Li Jiaqi is losing fans. That is according to a Weibo hashtag that went trending today (#李佳琦掉粉#), which highlights a significant drop of 630,000 Weibo followers in just 24 hours.

For those unfamiliar with Li Jiaqi (1992, English name Austin Li), he is one of China’s most renowned make-up influencers, also known as the “Lipstick King.” Previously a cosmetics salesman, Li has since risen to become one of China’s most celebrated livestreamers, setting numerous records along the way.

In 2018, he broke the Guinness World Record for “the most lipstick applications in 30 seconds.” He once sold 15000 lipsticks in 5 minutes, and also managed to apply 380 different lipsticks in another seven-hour live stream session. Li made international headlines in 2021 when he sold $1.9 billion in goods during a 12-hour-long promotion livestream for Alibaba’s shopping festival.

But now Li is in hot water because of an e-commerce livestream he did on Sunday, September 10th. When some viewers complained that the eyebrow pencil by Huaxi Zi (花西子), Florasis, seems to be getting more expensive (79 RMB, $10.9), Li vehemently defended the cosmetic brand. Seemingly annoyed with his viewers, he insisted that the product was reasonably priced, highlighting the brand’s use of high-quality ingredients and claiming it had not increased its prices for years.

In addition to this, Li began to lecture his audience, questioning whether they had made significant efforts to have received salary raises over the years (Literally: “Sometimes it’s because of yourself, if you haven’t seen a raise in so many years, did you work hard enough?” [“有的时候自己原因好吧。怎么多年了工资张没涨有没有认真工作”]). Even his assistant, next to him, seemed visibly uncomfortable when Li lashed out. We added some subtitled to this short fragment here.

Later on, Li appeared to recognize his mistake and suggested that people weren’t obligated to purchase the Florasis brand; instead, they could opt for a more affordable eyebrow pencil that he would be promoting later on.

This incident sparked major backlash from fans who voices their anger and disappointment, accusing Li of losing sight of his humble origins and owing everything to his viewers. Starting out by selling Maybelline makeup behind a shop counter, Li rose to prominence alongside the live e-commerce trend, amassing immense wealth thanks to his dedicated fans and viewers.

Why would he now alienate his viewers in such a way? Furthermore, many argued that the Florasis eyebrow pencil is undeniably expensive, with some even making comparisons to the cost of gold when measured by weight.

In the early morning of September 11, Li apologized on his Weibo account. He wrote that he felt disappointed in himself for responding the way he did. “As a livestream host I should send out positive energy, and learn to control my emotions,” he wrote.

Li Jiaqi apology on Weibo.

Later on, he issued an on-camera apology during a livestream. With tears in his eyes, he expressed heartfelt remorse for letting down so many people and acknowledged his mistakes. A related hashtag on Weibo soon got over 430 million clicks (#李佳琦哭着道歉#).

But many people do not appreciate his apologies. The top comment under his written apology post says: “You are making money out of ordinary people and now you turned around saying ordinary people are too poor,” while the most popular comment under the livestream apology said: “If I would earn 5 million yuan a day ($685k), my tears would be much more sincere than yours.”

This meme shows that many viewers do not feel moved by Li’s apologetic tears.

There are more angles to this story. Besides alienating his audience, others also feel he is not being completely transparant. As Li Jiaqi hinted during the livestream, he seems to have a very close relationship with the Florasis brand. Some reports even suggest that the commission rate for his endorsement of the Florasis brand, which was established in Hangzhou six years ago, may have been as high as 80%.

It is not the first time Li gets caught up in controversy. Last year, Li disappeared from China’s e-commerce channels for three months after one of his livestreams made references to shooting tanks. The ‘cake tank incident’ (坦克蛋糕事件) occurred on the night before June 4, the 33rd anniversary of the violent crackdown of the Tiananmen student demonstrations.

However, a notable distinction between that controversy and the current one lies in how his fans reacted. Despite the prior controversy, the majority of his supporters remained loyal to the beauty influencer, extending a warm welcome when he returned in September of 2022.

This time, many followers feel personally attacked by him. While Li Jiaqi defended the brow pencil price by suggesting that “domestic brands are struggling,” some commenters ask: “If domestic brands are struggling, don’t you think the people are also struggling?” (“国货难，国民难道就不难了吗?”)

Earlier this year, a casual remark made by Chinese actress Zhang Yuqi during a livestream also ignited discussions surrounding the stark disparity between the perspectives of celebrities and the financial realities experienced by ordinary individuals. During that promotional livestream, Zhang suggested that 699 yuan ($100) for a cashmere blanket was so cheap, saying: “I don’t even think I can buy a pair of socks with that amount.”

In response to this incident, some commenters mentioned that they could cover their food expenses for an entire month with that money. Many netizens remarked that some Chinese celebrities seem to not only live in a world where everything costs more, but they also seem to reside in a place where “poverty” is defined differently.

By Monday night, Li Jiaqi still had 29,8 million followers on Weibo, although some wondered how many of them were active and authentic Weibo users. Will Li be able to win back the favor of his fans? The numbers will tell.

By Manya Koetse and Miranda Barnes

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