China Arts & Entertainment
Weibo Night: All the Winners and the Highlights of the 2022-2023 Weibo Awards Ceremony
The main winners and trending topics surrounding the 2022/2023 Weibo Night Awards Ceremony.
PREMIUM CONTENT ARTICLE
Weibo Night was one of the biggest trends on Weibo this week. Weibo Night (#微博之夜#) is the yearly much-anticipated live-broadcasted ceremony that looks back on Sina Weibo’s hottest celebrities, entertainment productions, and happenings of the last year.
Hosted by the Sina media company, the night has been a recurring event since 2003 – long before the Sina Weibo platform was launched. The night was initially known as the ‘Sina Grand Ceremony’ (新浪网络盛典) until it turned into the ‘Weibo Night’ (微博之夜) in 2010.
During the ceremony of Weibo Night, which took place on the evening of March 25 in Shanghai and was broadcasted live on Weibo and on Sina, various prices were awarded in categories such as ‘The Hottest Weibo Celebrity of the Year’ (微博年度热度人物), ‘The Movie of the Year’ (年度电影), ‘Drama of the Year’ (年度电视剧), ‘Weibo Original Musician of the Year’, and ‘Weibo King & Queen.’
The award ceremony is always much anticipated since it is attended by all the big stars of the Chinese entertainment world, including the most famous actors/actresses, musicians, and online influencers.
What they are wearing is a big part of online discussions on Weibo Night, and with some celebrities changing their outfits during the night, talking about what they wear and who shines the brightest on the red carpet and who sits where is part of the fun.
So many stars in a row! Many thought that Yang Mi, in the red dress, was one of the best-dressed celebrities of the night; others thought it was Angelababy (杨颖), who is sitting next to her. Image via Weibo.
The hype surrounding the event begins long before the actual award ceremony as Weibo users can vote for their preferred candidates, and the shortlist of winners, based on Sina Weibo’s annual “Weibo Index,” is also published prior to the event.
The event is an important one for Weibo as a platform, not just because it drives massive traffic to the site, but also because all the celebrities have a strong Weibo presence and, throughout the night, express their love for the platform.
It is also important for celebrities, as it is an opportunity for them to promote themselves and the projects they are working on. Many celebrities do special photoshoots before the event and change outfits multiple times to make the most of their participation in the event.
As you can see below, there are so many categories during the award show, and some are actually really similar. This gives the idea that more important than the awards themselves is the showcasing of Weibo’s most popular celebrities.
On Weibo, the event was promoted using the slogan “Make the world more beautiful with the power of Weibo” (“以微博之力•让世界更美”).
Although the award ceremony is taking place in 2023, they are referred to as the 2022 Weibo Night since it mostly covers the year 2022, but also part of 2023, up to Spring Festival. For an overview by What’s on Weibo on the biggest topics of 2022 see this article.
THE RED CARPET
On Weibo, the hashtag “Weibo Night Red Carpet Livestream” (#微博之夜红毯直播#) received a staggering 610 million views this week.
The live stream of the red carpet was suddenly canceled midway, as there allegedly were too many fans gathering, and cancellation was done as a safety precaution.
Some videos surfacing on social media during the day also showed many fans around the area and some food delivery staff shouting out names to bring the right order to the right customer in the midst of the crowds.
MOST IMPACTFUL EVENTS
Weibo Night started with the presenters (Nigermaidi Zechman 尼格买提·热合曼 being one of them) announce an overview of the Weibo news topics that became a part of people’s collective memory over the past year.
The video shows different topics that went trending on Weibo in 2022-2023 with news footage. The video is divided into different segments.
▶︎ Under the topic of “conflict and disaster,” they listed the following (please note that not all hashtags are literally translated, but conveying the meaning so that everyone will understand what it is about):
• Tonga Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami #汤加火山喷发# (780 million clicks on Weibo)
• Russia-Ukraine War (#俄乌局势#) (10.1 billion clicks on Weibo) (read more)
• US Federal Reserve Interest Increase (#美联储加息#）(320 million clicks on Weibo)
• Europe’s Cold Winter (#欧洲寒潮#) (110 million clicks on Weibo) (related article)
• China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 (#MU5735#) (5.6 billion clicks on Weibo) (read more)
• Turkey-Syria Earthquake (#土耳其强震#) (510 million clicks on Weibo) (related article)
• Assassination of Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (#安倍普三身亡#) (2.5 billion clicks on Weibo) (more here)
▶︎ A text on the screen then emphasizes how love and kindness can shine through in times of struggle and catastrophe, and the following events are listed:
• Sichuan Luding Earthquake (#四川泸定地震#) (1.59 billion clicks on Weibo) (read here)
• Missing Man Found 17 Days after Luding Earthquake (#泸定地震中失联17天的甘字找到了#) (2 billion clicks on Weibo)
• Building a Great Wall of Fire [to Prevent Wild Fire from Spreading] (#他们用微光筑起防火长城#) (1.43 billion clicks on Weibo) (read)
• Young Courageous Heroes to the Rescue (#这些娃儿侠肝义胆#) (540 million clicks on Weibo) (more)
▶︎ Then the text on the screen says: “There will always be people who create miracles by challenging oneself.”
• Kipchoge Won Men’s Marathon World Record (#吉普乔格打破男子马拉松世界纪录#) (120 million clicks on Weibo)
• Argentina Wins World Cup (#阿根廷冠军#) (3.9 billion clicks on Weibo)
• Eileen Gu Wins Gold (#谷爱凌金牌#) (4.1 billion clicks on Weibo) (related articles)
• Su Yiming Wins Gold (#苏翊鸣金牌#) (1.7 billion clicks on Weibo)
• Xu Mengtao Wins Gold (#徐梦挑金牌#) (1 billion clicks on Weibo)
• China Wins Its First Gold of the Games (#短道速滑中国队北京冬奥会首金#) (1.37 billion clicks on Weibo)
• China Wins in Women’s Asian Cup (#中国女足亚洲杯冠军#) (2.8 billion clicks on Weibo)
▶︎ The text on the screen then says: “There will always be people who firmly believe that there will be Spring after longing for it.”
• China Cancels Circuit Breaker Measures for Inbound Flights (#入境航班熔断机制取消#) (150 million clicks on Weibo)
• End to [Covid-19] Travel Code Service (#行程卡下线#) (550 million clicks on Weibo)
• Goodbye Health Code (#告别健康吗#) (1.19 billion clicks on Weibo) (read here)
• Hello, 2023 (#你好2023#) (670 million clicks on Weibo)
▶︎ Text: “There will always be people who restart first after facing difficulties.”
• Full River Red Breaks 4.5 Billion at Box Office (#满江江实时票房破45亿#) (170 million views on Weibo)
• Wandering Earth 2 Breaks Box Office 4 Billion (流浪地球2票房破40亿) (290 million clicks on Weibo)
• Boonie Bears Guardian Code Breaks 1.4 Billion at Box Office (#熊出没之伴我熊芯票房破14亿#) (120 million clicks on Weibo)
• The Knockout (#狂飙#) (1 billion clicks on Weibo)
• A Lot of Concerts (#好多演唱会#) (110 million views)
▶︎ “There will always be people who turn a seed once planted into glory.”
• China Discovers New Moon Mineral (#月亮上发现嫦娥石#) (160 million clicks on Weibo)
• China Launches Third Aircraft Carrier (#我国第三艘航母下#) (1 billion clicks on Weibo)
• China’s C919 Jet Obtains Certificates for Commercial Flight (C919交付准备工作正有序推进) (190 million views)
• China’s Shenzhou-14 Manned Space Mission (#神十四发射成功#) (490 million clicks on Weibo)
• China Space Station Completes T-shape Basic Structure Assembly (#中国空间站“T”字基本构型在轨组装完成#) (140 million clicks on Weibo)
• Chinese Astronauts’ Firt Space Meeting (中国航天员首次太空会师) (110 million views on Weibo)
• China’s Shenzhou 14 Returns on Earth (#神十四返回地球#) (490 million clicks on Weibo)
Highlighted events: Tribute to China’s Firefighting Heroes
After the overview of all of these big topics, Chinese spaceflight Shenzhou 14 was highlighted and honored as one of the most important Weibo events of the year, together with the Chongqing wild fires.
Yang Zi, dressed in a black dress, was the actress to deliver a speech to pay tribute to the heroes of the Chongqing wildfires.
MOST INFLUENTIAL IN MUSIC
Weibo Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Voted as musicians that made the biggest breakthrough were:
• Liu Yuxin (刘雨昕), Guizhou-born singer/dancer
• Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜), Taiwanese singer, musician, and actress
• Shan Yicun (单依纯), Chinese singer and former winner of The Voice of China
▶︎ In this same category, the group INTO1 received the award for the most notable breakthrough pop group of the year. The group received attention on social media for their extremely correct posture during the award ceremony.
INTO1 was like its own little army during Weibo Night (image via Weibo).
Best Newcomer and Rising Stars
In the category of rising star awards – or those having made the biggest “leap” (微博年度飞跃音乐人), – are:
• Ayunga (阿云嘎), Mongolian musical theater actor, singer, and songwriter
• Gina Alice Redlinger (吉娜爱丽丝), German-Korean pianist who happens to be married to the renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang
• Dany Lee (李斯丹妮), Chengdu-born singer
▶︎ Boy band BOYSTORY was among the first to receive an award during Weibo Night, namely that of the best newcomer pop group (微博年度新锐团体).
Weibo’s Original and Influential Musician of the Year
• Wang Yuan (王源)
▶︎ Wang Yuan (王源, also known as Roy Wang) won the award for Original Musician of the Year. Born in 2000, Wang is mostly known as a member of the hugely popular TFboys idol group that debuted in 2013, but his solo career has also been thriving for years.
Roy Wang accepts his award at the Weibo Night, images by Sina Weibo.
• Li Yuchun (李宇春)
Li Yuchun shared a photo of her outfit on her own Weibo account.
▶︎ Li Yuchun (李宇春), once known as China’s “most handsome supergirl,” received the award for Weibo Influential Musician of the Year. Since winning the nationwide talent show ‘Supergirl’ (Chaoji Nüsheng) and appearing on the cover of Time Magazine Asia in 2005, Li Yuchun has become a household name in China and managed to stay popular. During Weibo night, she wore a beautiful white suit and was one of the few ladies not wearing a long dress for the occasion (Eileen Gu also wore pants!). Li Yuchun also performed at the event later on in the show.
Weibo Outstanding Musician of the Year
In the “Outstanding Singers” category, the awards went to the popular female singers:
• Yu Wenwen (于文文)
• Yuan Yawei (袁娅维)
• Zheng Suyan (郑秀妍)
Weibo Music of the Year
The award for Weibo Music of the Year (微博年度人气音乐) went to the following songs:
• “Just Like Sunshine” (像阳光那样) – Wang Yibo (王一博)
• “To Find You” (寻一个你) – Liu Yuning (刘宇宁)
• “Worry-Free” (花开忘忧) – Zhou Shen (周深)
MOST INFLUENTIAL IN ACTING
Weibo Breakthrough Actor of the Year
• Wang Yibo (王一博)
▶︎ Wang Yibo (王一博) is the winner of the Weibo Breakthrough Film Star of the Year. Wang (1997) has been super popular in China for years. Born in Henan, he is a multi-talent and is active as an actor, singer, dancer, rapper, and professional road motorcycle racer. In 2014, Wang debuted as a member of the South Korean-Chinese boyband UNIQ. Since then, his career has been thriving and he has starred in various popular productions, such as 2019 drama The Untamed (陈情令).
The Weibo Breakthrough Actor of the Year Award (微博年度突破演员), given to those actors who made a significant breakthrough in their careers during the past year, went to:
• Han Dongjun (韩东君)
• Jin Chen (金晨)
• Li Yitong (李一桐)
• Liu Yuning (刘宇宁)
• Xu Kai (许凯)
• Zhang Jingyi (张婧仪)
Newcomers, Rising, and Eye-Catching Actors of the Year
The award for best newcomer went to young actors:
• Hu Lianxin’er (胡连新儿)
• Wang Churan (王楚然)
• Wang Jiayi (王家义)
• Wu Xuanyi (吴宣仪)
• Zhang Yifan (张艺凡)
• Zhou Yiran (周艺然)
The Rising Actors Award (微博年度飞跃演员) went to:
• Bai Lu (白鹿)
• Guan Xiaotong (关晓彤)
• Mao Xiaotong (毛晓彤)
• Song Yi (宋轶)
• Tang Jianji (檀健次).
The ‘Eye-Catching Actors’ award (微博年度瞩目演员), which is about those actors who have achieved significant popularity and influence on social media, went to:
• Wang Jun (王俊)
• Wang Hedi (王鹤棣)
• Wu Lei (吴磊)
• Yu Shuxin (虞书欣).
The Weibo award for most promising or hard-working actors (微博年度进取演员) went to:
• Chen Zheyuan (陈哲远)
• Hou Minghao (侯明昊)
• Li Landi (李兰迪)
• Shen Yue (沈月)
• Tian Xiwei (田曦薇)
• Wang Ziyi (王子异)
• Zhang Linghe (张凌赫)
Tian Xi wei in Sophie Couture for Weibo Night, photos via Sina Weibo.
▶︎ Chinese actress Tian Xiwei stood out with a beautifully designed pink dress by Sophie Couture.
Weibo Attractive Actors of the Year
Honored as the most “attractive” actors of the year are:
• Gao Ye (高野)
• Pan Yueming (潘粤明)
• Tong Yao (童瑶)
• Wang Yang (王洋)
Weibo Night Performers of the Year
The Weibo award for performance of the year (微博年度表现力演员) went to:
• Dilraba Dilmurat (迪丽热巴), Chinese actress who recently starred in the popular series You Are My Glory (这个杀手不太冷静)
• Li Xian (李现), Chinese actor who starred in TV series Meet Yourself (which actually boosted Yunnan tourism)
• Yang Zi (杨紫), one of the big stars of the night who starred in multiple successful productions recently
Weibo Public Favorite Actors of the Year
The Weibo Public Favorites Actors of the Year awards, also called the Weibo Word-of-Mouth Actors of the Year (微博年度口碑演员) award, went to:
• Ma Li (马丽)
• Song Jia (宋佳)
• Yao Chen (姚晨)
▶︎ Of course, Yao Chen should be on this list – although Yao Chen is not necessarily China’s number one actress, she was one of the first celebrities to share her personal life on Weibo since 2009,and interact with her fans. On Weibo, she talks about her everyday life, family, news-related issues, work, and fashion. She posts a lot personal pictures every day. Yao Chen’s popularity as an actress and philanthropist combined with her frequent Weibo updates and closeness to her fans have made her a huge Weibo celebrity.
▶︎ Ma Li (马丽) has been in the limelight a lot reently. The Chinese actress starred in Too Cool to Kill (这个杀手不太冷静) and was a hit star during the Spring Festival Gala.
Weibo Quality Actor of the Year
They received the Quality Actor of the Year (微博年度品质演员) Award at the Weibo Award stage:
• Xiao Zhan (肖战)
• Liu Yifei (刘亦菲, Crystal Liu)
• Zhang Ruoyun (张若昀)
▶︎ Zhang is known for his acting work in various productions and well-known dramas, such as Joy for Life (2019). In 2022, he starred in Under The Microscope, a series about a math genius who ends up in a complex web of corruption and lies after he discovers a major tax discrepancy in his county’s finances.
Weibo Awards for Fine Acting of the Year
The award for realistic acting / fine acting (微博年度质感演员) went to some of China’s most renowned actresses, namely:
• Yang Mi (杨幂), the super popular actress who recently starred in Thank You Doctor (谢谢你医生)
• Angelababy (杨颖), the multitalented celebrity who often makes it to Weibo’s top trends
• Tong Liya (佟丽娅), actress and dancer of Xibo ethnicity who won many awards for her acting work
• Liu Shishi (刘诗诗), the renowned actress who is commonly praised for her quality acting
The actresses take their award at the Weibo Night stage.
▶︎ This became a much talked about moment since it was the first time for Angelababy to be at an event with Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming. The moment Angelababy went on stage, the camera focused on Huang who spoke a few words with Li Bingbing who sat right next to him. This sparked discussions on what he said at that moment, and simlarly, when Huang was on stage, people wanted to know what Angelababy was saying to Yang Mi. Oh, if only you could be a fly on the wall!
Weibo Award for Influential Actor
The award for actor that had the most influence / impact on Chinese social media thi year (微博年度影响力演员) went to:
• Li Bingbing (李冰冰)
▶︎ Li Bingbing shared the stage with Li Yuchun for this award, as Li Yuchun was honored for being the most influential musician.
MOST INFLUENTIAL IN MOVIES
Weibo Breakthrough in Film
The awards for the most notable breakthrough in film (微博年度突破电影人) went to:
• Wang Yibo (王一博)
• Da Peng (大鹏)
• Zhang Chiyu (张吃鱼/张迟昱)
The breakthrough in film winners, photo shared by Da Peng on Weibo.
▶︎ Da Peng, who is always quite active on Weibo (@大鹏董成鹏), is the director and screenwriter for the Chinese comedy movie Post Truth (保你平安) about a former mob boss who has now ventured in the business of selling burial plots and finds himself in the middle of a rumor scandal after the death of one of his clients.
Weibo Quality and Impactful Films of the Year
Honored in the category of “quality film” of the year (微博年度品质电影):
• Moon Man (独行月球)
• Song of Spring (妈妈)
• Lighting Up the Stars (人生大事)
• Hidden Blade (无名)
Honored in the category of films that made the most impact on Weibo (微博年度影响力电影), meaning they generated the most online discussions and often topped the Weibo trending lists:
• Wandering Earth 2 (流浪地球2)
• Full River Red (满江红)
• Home Coming (万里归途)
Weibo Quality Filmmakers of the Year
The award for quality film influentials of the year (微博年度品质电影人) went to:
• Lei Jiayin (雷佳音)
• Jackson Yee (易烊千玺)
• Rao Xiaozhi (饶晓志)
• Wen Muye (文牧野)
▶︎ Wen Muye directed the 2022 movie Nice View (奇迹·笨小孩) which stars Jackson Yee and tells the story of the 20-year-old Jing Hao who comes to live in Shenzhen to look after his little sister Tong Tong after the unexpected death of their mother. Rao Xiaozhi directed Home Coming, one of the major box office hits of 2022.
Best Movies of the Year
The most beloved movies of the year on Weibo (微博年度人气电影) are：
• Hidden Blade (无名)
• Wandering Earth 2 (流浪地球2)
• Home Coming (万里归途)
▶︎ Hidden Blade is a 2023 Chinese World War II espionage thriller directed by Cheng Er. ‘Home Coming’ (万里归途) is inspired by China’s overseas citizens protection response during the 2011 Libya crisis, and it sparked waves of nationalistic sentiments earlier in 2022.
▶︎ The sci-film Wandering Earth 2 became a box office hit in 2023 and has already become a part of China’s online culture in terms of visuals, memes, and vocabulary.
Weibo Most-Watched Movie Person of the Year
The award for Weibo Most-Watched Movie Personality (微博年度关注电影人) went to:
• Karry Wang (王俊凯)
• Li Yu (李玉)
• Yang Lina (杨荔钠)
▶︎ Yang Lina wrote and directed the 2022 film Song of Spring (妈妈), which tells the moving story of an 85-year-old mother caring for a 65-year-old daughter with Alzheimer’s disease.
Weibo Most Influential Director of the Year
▶︎ Zhang Yimou (张艺谋) received the award for most influential director of the year. The renowned director’s latest film Full River Red (满江红), a historical suspense comedy film starring Shen Teng and Jackson Yee, became a hit during the Spring Festival holiday and is China’s sixth highest-grossing box office entry of all time.
MOST INFLUENTIAL IN TV
Weibo Drama of the Year
This honors the Weibo serialized dramas of the year (微博年度剧集):
• Love Between Fairy and Devil (苍兰诀)
• Draw The Line (底线)
• Wild Bloom (风吹半夏)
• The Knockout (狂飙)
• The Three-Body Problem (三体)
• Bright Future (县委大院)
• Love Like the Galaxy (星汉灿烂·月升沧海)
• The Story Of Xing Fu (幸福到万家)
• The Blue Whisper (驭鲛记之与君初相识·恰似故人归)
Weibo Drama of the Year
• The Oath of Love (余生，请多指教) – Yang Zi and Xiao Zhan both star in this drama about a romance between a doctor and pianist
• Being A Hero (冰雨火) – crime and mystery drama featuring Chen Xiao and Wang Yibo
• Immortal Samsara (沉香如屑·沉香重华) – xianxia drama starring Yang Zi and Cheng Yi
Variety Show of the Year
• Street Dance of China 5 (这就是街舞5) – reality competition show focused on street dance
• Time Concert: Season 2 (时光音乐会2) – music variety show
• Hello, Saturday! (你好星期六) – variety show including games, interviews, and more
MOST INFLUENTIAL WEIBO CELEBRITIES
Weibo Influential Sports Personality of the Year
The award for Weibo’s Annual Most Influential Sport Person (微博年度影响力体育人物) went to:
• Eileen Gu (Gu Ailing)
• Ren Ziwei (任子威)
▶︎ 2022 really was the big year of Eileen Gu (@青蛙公主爱凌, 6.5 million fans), the America-born Olympic freestyle skier and gold medalist who came out for China. Although Gu could not attend the Spring Festival Gala earlier this year, she did attend Weibo Night, wher she changed outfits twice and also gave some interviews. For more about the Year of Eileen Gu, see our article here.
Hottest Celebrities of the Year
• Xiao Zhan (肖战)
• Yang Zi (杨紫)
• Wang Yibo (王一博)
▶︎ Xiao Zhan, Yang Zi, and Wang Yibo were the big winners of the Weibo Night. They all received the awards as the most popular Weibo celebrities. Xiao Zhan has over 31 million followers on Weibo (@X玖少年团肖战DAYTOY); Yang Zi has over 60 million (@杨紫); Wang Yibo (@UNIQ-王一博) has over 40 million.
A moment of Xiao Zhan sitting by himself, with his back super straight and a serious face, also went viral on Chinese social media.
▶︎ Besides both being super popular on Weibo, Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo have more in common: they both starred together in the 2019 Chinese television series The Untamed, which is also very popular within online boys’ love communities.
The popular actress and singer Yang Zi, also known as Andy Yang, is also known for starring in various hit dramas such as Ode to Joy, Ashes of Love, Go Go Squid!, and Oath to Love.
Weibo Annual Favorite Person
The Weibo celebrities with the most likability are:
• Chinese table tennis player Sun Yingsha (孙颖莎)
• Professional esports multigame player Yi Nuo (一诺)
• South-Korean-born Chinese short track speed skater Lin Xiaosha (林孝埈)
The Queen and King of Weibo
• Hu Ge (胡歌)
• Liu Yifei (刘亦菲, Crystal Liu)
▶︎ The most anticipated awards of Weibo Night are those of the Weibo Queen and King. This year, Hu Ge (胡歌) was voted Weibo King while Liu Yifei (刘亦菲, Crystal Liu) accepted the Weibo Queen award. Liu Yifei is a Chinese-American actress who is most famous outside of China for starring in Disney’s Mulan live-action movie. Liu Yifei, who was recently announced as the new global spokesperson for Bvlgari, wore a spectacular Elie Saab dress to the Weibo night awards.
▶︎ Liu was reunited on stage with Weibo King Hu Ge, with whom she starred in the popular Chinese TV drama series Chinese Paladin. Hu Ge has previously won numerous awards for his acting, including the Best Actor Award at the 2013 Golden Eagle Awards and the Best Actor Award at the 2016 China Britain Film Festival. He is also popular as is a singer in China.
By Manya Koetse
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China Arts & Entertainment
“Auntie Mei” Captured After 20 Years, China’s Train-Stain Scandal, and Zhang Xuefeng’s Final Lesson
The major talking points on Chinese social media this week: from the capture of a notorious child trafficker and unexpected death of Zhang Xuefeng, to one of the most expensive Chinese music video ever made.
🔥 China Trend Watch (week 12½ | 2026) Part of Eye on Digital China by Manya Koetse, China Trend Watch is an overview of what’s trending and being discussed on Chinese social media. This edition was sent to paid subscribers — subscribe to receive the next issue in your inbox.
This is about “Teacher Zhang Xuefeng” (张雪峰老师, 1984), the man who carved out a big place for himself in China’s online landscape over the past decade by focusing on a sweet spot that virtually all Chinese parents and their children care about: how to choose majors strategically to ensure future employment prospects.
Among Zhang’s common questions: “What kind of salary do you want your child to have in the future?”
Besides the relevance of his focus, Zhang’s northeastern accent, comic remarks, blunt criticism, and talent for triggering controversy also amplified his online appeal, ensuring that his name frequently became part of China’s public discourse.
Like that time when he advised China’s young people against studying journalism, even stating that if he were a parent, he would “definitely knock the child unconscious if they insisted on studying journalism,” deeming it a major that lacks depth and prospects. Although it became a major controversy at the time, a poll of 42,000 voters showed that 39,000 agreed with Zhang.
Zhang capitalized on the collective anxiety in China surrounding the gaokao (高考), the national university entrance exam that determines future paths, as well as concerns that even graduates from top universities may face unemployment if they choose majors with limited practical value. Zhang’s view: choice is more important than effort.
This Tuesday evening, news emerged that Zhang Xuefeng had died on the afternoon of March 24 at the age of 41, after suffering sudden cardiac arrest.
His death has had a huge impact on Chinese social media, where many people are responding with disbelief and shock.
It’s not just that Zhang was widely known (and while not everyone liked him, many respected him)—it’s perhaps also the fact that he spent so much of his life advising others on how to control their careers and income, building great personal wealth in the process, only to die so young, at the peak of his career, with no strategy to protect him.
Besides being “chronically overworked,” Zhang also pushed himself to exercise and run frequently. Adding to this, he had been under pressure since last fall, when he became a target of official criticism and platform regulators.
Isn’t it ironic that, in the end, the most important takeaway Zhang might leave behind is not his advice on choosing majors or making smart career moves, but rather the reminder to sometimes step away from the rat race and appreciate everyday life and health, because you never know when it might all end.
Zhang leaves behind his wife and 11-year-old daughter.
Let’s dive into some of the other trends that have been major talking points this week.
Quick Scroll
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- 🧠 China has approved a coin-sized brain–computer implant for commercial use in people with spinal cord injuries. Developed by Shanghai-based company Neuracle Medical Technology (博睿康) in collaboration with Tsinghua University, the so-called “NEO” is the world’s first market-approved brain implant designed to help people with severe paralysis regain hand motor function.
- 🚨 Lei Siwei (雷思维), Vice-Governor of Gansu and member of the provincial Party Standing Committee, is under investigation as of March 17, with the notice issued by China’s top anti-corruption body citing “serious violations of discipline and law.” The case is the latest in an ongoing series of provincial-level anti-corruption actions that’ve been continuing into 2026.
- 📚 Several Chinese provinces and cities are removing biology and geography from high school entrance exams starting from next year, as part of a broader government-initiated campaign to reduce pressure on students and put a stop to “educational involution” (教育内卷).
- 👀 Taiwanese actor-singer Jerry Yan (言承旭), best known as Dao Mingsi from Meteor Garden and a member of F4, is at the center of somewhat of an authenticity crisis after fans photographed his concert teleprompter showing not just lyrics, but scripted emotional cues for his performance like “your eyes slightly reddening” and “now you take a deep breath.”
- 🎮 More than 100 Chinese universities are offering esports majors nowadays, sparking online discussions this week. These programmes go far beyond just playing video games, covering esports operations, management, data analytics, game design, etc, reflecting the growing professionalisation of China’s esports industry.
- 🎓 A feature by Chinese magazine Sanlian Life Weekly (三联生活周刊) went trending for highlighting a sharp gender shift in China’s higher education demographics, with female students now outnumbering men at universities. Female undergraduate enrollment grew by 348% between 2002 and 2022.
- 🧪 A laboratory explosion at Chongqing University on March 20 killed one student and injured three. Initial findings point to improper handling of chemicals.
- 💔 China’s superfamous actress Yao Chen (姚晨) and filmmaker Cao Yu (曹郁) jointly announced their separation on Weibo in a poetic way, using classical Chinese language: “A journey through mountains and rivers, a blessing for three lifetimes. Fate comes and goes, all is joy” (山水一程，三生有幸。缘来缘去，皆是欢喜). A related hashtag received 300 million views.
What Really Stood Out This Week
Chinese Woman Who Sold Abducted Toddlers Captured After Two Decades
A woman who played a key role in a series of China’s notorious child trafficking cases, causing relentless suffering for many families, has finally been caught after being on the run for two decades. The arrest of the woman, referred to as “Mei Yi” or “Auntie Mei” (梅姨), has dominated Chinese social media over the past week, ever since Guangzhou police announced on March 21 that they had finally captured her.
This story touches upon multiple issues that have turned it into such a major topic.
Mei Yi was involved in a series of child trafficking crimes carried out by a gang led by Zhang Weiping (张维平) and Zhou Rongping (周容平) across multiple areas in Guangdong province between 2003 and 2005. She acted as a middleman responsible for transferring and selling abducted children, mostly toddler boys. In just over two years, the group abducted and trafficked nine young children.
The parents of these boys never stopped searching for them, while Chinese authorities worked for years to crack the case. In 2016, eleven years after the last abduction, police arrested five core gang members, including Zhang, who later confessed and revealed that the person reselling the children was a local elderly woman nicknamed “Mei Yi.” However, her real identity and whereabouts remained unknown for years. Zhang Weiping and Zhou Rongping were both sentenced to death and executed in 2023.
Thanks to new technologies—from digital tracking systems to DNA matching—the abducted children were located one by one and reunited with their biological families over the years: the first in 2019 and the last in 2024. By then, the boys were roughly between 14 and 21 years old, meaning they had spent nearly their entire childhoods with the families who had bought them.
Evading Capture by Being Ordinary
One aspect of this case drawing attention is not just how Mei Yi was caught, but how she managed to evade arrest for so long. The crimes took place more than twenty years ago, in factories, rental housing, and other areas with dense migrant populations, leaving very little traceable evidence. It is also unclear how accurate the composite sketch of Mei Yi—circulating since 2017 and updated in 2019—actually was. Authorities have not released a confirmed photo following her arrest, and it is possible her real appearance differed significantly from the sketch.
A lawyer close to the case told Chinese media outlet The Paper that what made her so hard to catch was probably not how clever her tactics were, but that she appeared so normal to those around her, who might have never guessed she was a criminal. Besides arranging illegal “adoptions,” Mei Yi also acted as a local matchmaker and fortune teller, and she even lied about her identity and used aliases with someone who was her partner for two years.
Official media do not disclose exactly how Mei Yi was eventually tracked down, but it’s clear that the authorities got much closer after all the abducted children were found in October 2024, undoubtedly leading to important clues that connected all the cases.
Not Such a Happy Ending
Chinese state media have largely framed the case as a story of justice served: Mei Yi as a long-sought villain, the police as persistent heroes, and China’s advancing technology as the key to solving the case. A kind of “happy ending.”
But the truth seems more complicated, with a loud silence surrounding nine families where the abducted boys spent their entire childhoods. Their willingness to pay for a male child is part of a broader issue linked to China’s one-child policy, relatively light penalties for buyers of trafficked children (or even legal limitations due to statutes of limitation), and a deeply rooted son-preference culture that was especially strong in those years 2003- 2005.
Some online commentators did argue to “not let those hypocritical ‘adoptive parents’ off the hook.” Yet the situation is complicated by the fact that some of the boys still consider these families their parents, and in some cases choose to stay with them rather than return to biological families they barely remember.
The fact is that Mei Yu is just one chapter in a much larger story that is far from finished.
Just earlier this week, the story of another abduction case also went trending. It concerns a man named Du Jun (杜军), who was abducted in 1991 at the age of 3 while playing outside a shop with his sister. Du Jun, who spent 35 years separated from his biological family, finally reunited with his biological mother following a successful identification process that is part of a continuing series of long-separated family reunions facilitated by China’s expanding DNA-matching and digital tracking systems.
Du, now 38, had not known he was trafficked as a child, nor that his biological family had searched for him for years. He became an orphan at a young age and built a life for himself. He was found through online search efforts, the dedication of volunteers, DNA research, and a specific detail only his biological family knew: that he had a bend at the joint of his left middle finger because of an accident as a toddler.
Du Jun as a young child before his abduction, and Du Jun reunited with his biological mother in 2026. Images via Hongxing Xinwen.
As with the nine abducted boys, Du Jun’s reunion with his family does bring light to a long, dark tunnel – but it doesn’t bring back the missed childhood, the shattered families, and the endless, tear-filled years.
Let’s hope many more “Mei Yis” will be brought to justice in the years ahead.
A Censored Menstruation Train-Incident
Another story that became a major talking point on Chinese social media this week involves a woman named Ms. Zhang, who was charged 180 yuan (US$26) after accidentally staining a bedsheet on a sleeper train. The woman unexpectedly got her period while traveling overnight to Lanzhou and was unable to obtain any sanitary products on board. A train attendant asked her to either wash the bedsheet herself or pay compensation.
The woman, who ended up washing the sheets herself by hand in cold water, later shared her experience on social media and suggested that all trains should sell sanitary pads. Her post resonated with many, and even though she took it offline, it was quickly picked up by Chinese media.
After the post went viral, Lanzhou Railway issued an official statement on March 20, presenting its version of events and challenging some of the woman’s claims.
The statement included details that depicted staff as helpful, such as an attendant allegedly offering to wash the sheets and a conductor searching for sanitary pads (but finding none). At the same time, it used seemingly accusatory language, repeatedly describing the woman’s menstruation as having “contaminated” (污染) the bedding as well as two other spots where she had sat.
Zhang did not accept this explanation and again turned to social media (under the username @勇敢小狐不怕困难) to reveal what she said had been happening behind the scenes. She shared that someone from Lanzhou Railway had repeatedly messaged her privately, asking her to delete her posts, claiming that employees’ jobs were at risk because of the incident, and even offering her money—which she refused, despite ultimately taking the post down.
Zhang further suggested that her posts were “disappearing as soon as they were published,” that the media narrative was being controlled, and that she had been pressured into silence.
On Xiaohongshu and Weibo, many users sided with Zhang. The wording used by Lanzhou Railway struck a chord, particularly the framing of menstruation as “contamination” while simultaneously blaming Zhang for staining multiple areas, despite not providing any sanitary products.
“Where exactly was she supposed to sit?” one Xiaohongshu user asked. “In the aisle? On a suitcase? Squatting by the toilet door? Lying on the floor?”
One major reason why this debate exploded online is not just the media discourse itself, but the way it taps into broader frustrations among Chinese women over social taboos and structural shortcomings surrounding menstruation in public spaces.
Over the years, various incidents involving menstrual products have gone viral and sparked grassroots efforts to change the current situation.
In 2022, a female passenger also expressed her frustration online about sanitary pads on high-speed trains, drawing online attention. Many commenters, mostly men, argued that pads weren’t “essential items” and shouldn’t take up retail space onboard. The railway authority’s official response—describing sanitary pads as “personal items” that don’t need to be sold—only worsened online outrage.
For many women, these kinds of incidents, from trains and schools to planes, highlight how little society apparently understands or respects their basic needs.
In this case, the way Zhang was seemingly framed as if she had deliberately stained the sheets (and was somehow expected to stop menstruating) triggered widespread anger. Although some of the more outspoken posts were censored on Weibo, more nuanced criticism remained: “Menstrual blood is treated as dirty, described as ‘contamination.’ But this is just menstruation—something that half of all people experience.”
On the Feed
“The Most Expensive Music Video in the History of Mandopop”
Whenever there’s new music by the Taiwanese producer, actor, composer, singer-songwriter, and ‘King of Mandopop’ Jay Chou (周杰伦), it goes trending.
Not only does his music bring back memories of the early 2000s – when he first rose to prominence and became super popular – but his catchy tunes and lyrics also resonate with younger audiences.
But it’s not just the music that makes waves – it’s also the music videos that have become artistic and sometimes spectacular productions by themselves. “Other artists just make a music video, he turns it into a movie,” some commenters wrote after the release of his 2022 Greatest Work of Art video.
On March 24, the music video (MV) for the lead single Children of the Sun (太阳之子) dropped, a production made in collaboration with Wētā Workshop, the New Zealand-based visual effects studio known for its work on Avatar and The Lord of the Rings.
The music video shows Jay Chou in a fictional European world spanning from the 16th to the 20th century, filled with references to famous art, from Vincent van Gogh and Dali to Mona Lisa, Ophelia, and The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt (Jay Chou appears in the painting himself).
The cost of the music video production reportedly exceeded 20 million yuan (US$2.9 million), and some commentaries described it as the most expensive MV in the history of Mandarin-language pop music.
Chapter Dive
When an Entertainment Scandal Gets Political: How Wong Kar-wai Survived a Nationalist Storm
The 2025 scandal surrounding Wong Kar-wai shows that public outrage only produces consequences when it aligns with official interests.
It’s safe to say that 2025 wasn’t the best year for Wong Kar-wai (王家卫, 1958), one of the most famous Chinese-language film directors in the world. The Hong Kong movie director is known for classic works like Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love. Besides his work, his iconic sunglasses are also famous – he rarely goes without them and is even nicknamed ‘Sunglasses’ (墨镜) or ‘Sunglass King’ (墨镜王) on Chinese social media.
But this year, discussions about Wong Kar-wai have gone well beyond his talent and looks. He became embroiled in what would turn into one of China’s biggest entertainment scandals of the year after a former staff member set out to expose him for exploitation and misconduct. Once the controversy spilled from entertainment into political territory, however, the dynamics of the story changed entirely.
A Fight for Credit
This story begins with the young Chinese screenwriter Gu Er (古二, real name Cheng Junnian 程骏年). He is the one who publicly accused Wong of exploitation and unethical work standards on social media (a story which we previously covered here).
Gu Er, a New York Film Academy graduate, returned to China after his studies and began building a career. In 2019, he joined the production team of Wong’s popular TV series Blossoms Shanghai, working long hours for meager pay, despite suffering from Kennedy’s disease, a motor neuron illness similar to ALS.
Cheng Junnian 程骏年, better known as Gu Er
In 2023, after the show premiered, Gu posted an article on Chinese social media titled “The Truth Behind the Writing of Blossoms” (《繁花》剧本的创作真相). He argued that he should have been credited as one of the principal writers but was instead listed only as a “preliminary editor,” buried at the end of the credits. The post sparked some discussion, but the controversy quickly faded.
It was not until last September that Gu Er released another essay titled “My Experience as a Screenwriter for Blossoms: A Summary” (我给《繁花》做编剧的经历——小结), which drew widespread attention. In the piece, he accused Wong Kar-wai of exploitation and detailed his creative work on the series, while also claiming that he was required to cook meals and run personal errands for Wong.
At one point, Gu Er describes how lead screenwriter Qin Wen (秦雯) allegedly tried to remove him from the production team after presenting his draft script as her own. According to Gu, Wong Kar-wai responded dismissively: “It’s just a few thousand yuan; he’s an assistant and can also write the script, it’s a bargain!”
Throughout 2025, Gu Er used his WeChat account to document his experiences and to upload audio recordings of conversations with members of the production team, including Wong Kar-wai and Qin Wen. These recordings were presented as evidence supporting his claims of exploitation, verbal abuse, and the denial of screenwriting credit.
In response to the controversy, the official account of the Blossoms Shanghai television series issued multiple statements denying that Gu Er deserved screenwriting credit and accusing him of abusing his position to secretly record private conversations among staff. The production team vowed to take legal action, and Gu Er’s entire WeChat account was soon shut down.
Leaked Recordings and Growing Backlash
Although his WeChat presence was erased, Gu Er refused to stay silent. In early November of 2025, he opened a new Weibo account (@古二新语) and, seemingly burning all of his bridges, continued releasing recordings involving Wong Kar-wai and members of the Blossoms Shanghai production team, triggering an unexpected shockwave over the past few weeks.
Gu Er released a series of audio recordings featuring Wong Kar-wai and others, including screenwriter Qin Wen and her assistant Xu Siyao (许思窈). In some of these recordings, they are heard mocking Gu Er; Qin appears to struggle to recall plot details she allegedly wrote herself; and Xu Siyao openly admits that an important storyline in Blossoms Shanghai originated from Gu Er’s writing.
Visuals from Blossoms Shanghai.
Wong Kar-wai and Qin Wen also spend a surprising amount of time ridiculing figures across the Chinese film and television industry, from respected senior veterans to obscure streaming-film directors, dismissively labeling them as “fake.”
What stunned the public even more were Wong Kar-wai’s crude remarks about actresses. In one recording, he comments on actress Jin Jing’s breasts and jokes, “I must get her” (“我一定要搞金靖”). Jin is not a major star, and in the final cut of Blossoms Shanghai, all of her scenes were removed. In another clip, Wong addresses screenwriter Qin Wen in a sexually suggestive and harassing tone, saying that if she had a body like Jin’s, she would not have “survived” her early years in the industry as a writer, because “I would definitely have taken you” (“我一定收你”).
Qin Wen
After this wave of leaks, the recordings—together with Gu Er’s earlier accusations—spread widely across major Chinese social media platforms. Many netizens expressed disapproval of the misogyny, gossip, and backbiting revealed in the recordings and began reevaluating Wong Kar-wai as a person, as well as his past works. Others questioned the legitimacy of Gu Er’s methods, particularly the recordings and leaks. Legal experts noted that secretly recording conversations could violate privacy laws, and that selectively edited clips might even constitute defamation.
Crossing the Red Line
Then, on November 8, Gu Er released a new recording that fundamentally altered the nature of the incident. The audio features a conversation among Wong Kar-wai, Blossoms Shanghai co-director Li Shuang (李爽), and producer Peng Qihua (彭绮华), in which they discuss COVID controls, Japan, and China’s political system.
In the recording, Wong says that the Communist Party only wants “chives” (jiǔcài, 韭菜) to harvest and describes China as a “greedy one-party state.” In Chinese internet slang, jiǔcài refers to ordinary people who are repeatedly exploited, compared to chives that are cut and grow back, only to be harvested again. When Li mentions his collection of Japanese katanas and samurai outfits, Wong jokes that, given China’s current tensions with Japan, if the collection were discovered, Li would be publicly denounced and paraded, much like during the Cultural Revolution.
Wong even suggested: “If they find [the samurai swords], just put a Chinese flag on them and say you really hate those Japanese devils.”
The Weibo post was deleted within minutes, but the recordings spread quickly.
Nationalist netizens flooded Wong’s comment section, calling him a hànjiān (汉奸, traitor to the Chinese nation), and demanding that he “get out of China.” Some conspiracy-minded users even claimed that the title of Wong’s famous TV series Blossoms (繁花 fánhuā) was intentionally chosen because it sounds like “anti-China” (反华 fǎnhuá), alleging that Wong had embedded a subversive message in the title.
Suddenly, many who had previously viewed the scandal as mere entertainment began taking sides—calling for the show to be taken down and for investigations into Wong, Li, and others involved.
Unusual Twist in a Familiar Script
In China’s public sphere, once criticism touches on the state or the Party, everything becomes more complicated. Many began questioning whether Gu Er had gone too far in leaking these conversations, and whether this was a political terror tactic disguised as personal justice.
Weaponizing nationalism to ruin a public figure is actually nothing new.
Ten years ago, CCTV host Bi Fujian (毕福剑) was recorded at a private dinner mocking Mao Zedong and was immediately fired, vanishing from public life. In 2021, actor Zhang Zhehan (张哲瀚) was canceled after taking photos near the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo—a site that honors Japan’s war dead, including convicted war criminals. In 2022, writer Yan Geling (严歌苓) was erased from the Chinese internet almost overnight after calling Xi Jinping a “human trafficker” in commentary about a trafficking case.
Given this history, and the fact that Wong has remained silent since the leaks began, mainland audiences now fear that Wong Kar-wai could join China’s celebrity “blacklist.” Some even worry they might never see In the Mood for Love again, others fear a broadcast ban for Blossoms.
Will Wong Kar-wai become the Next Bi Fujian? All past punishment-for-speech cases have followed a familiar script: a leak emerges, nationalists erupt, official mouthpieces like Xinhua step in to shape the narrative, and punishment follows swiftly. In Bi Fujian’s case, for example, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection issued a public condemnation within a week.
But this time, although nationalists are already outraged on social media and calling for Wong’s “anti-China” remarks to be punished, not a single major central media outlet has echoed their anger. In fact, shortly after Gu released the new recordings, the Blossoms team issued a statement accusing him of fabrication and malicious slander—and The Paper, a state-affiliated Shanghai outlet, amplified it. That was the first signal of how authorities might lean.
Too Valuable to Cancel?
Does this all mean China has become more tolerant of political criticism? Is the red line for what can and can’t be said shifting? Some believe the only reason Wong escaped harsher consequences is that he didn’t mention specific leaders by name, which is the quickest way to get into serious trouble. While that’s plausible, another reason may carry more weight: Wong Kar-wai is useful to the state’s cultural agenda.
Despite the comments in the recordings, Wong’s stance toward the authorities is not overtly hostile. In recent years, he has cooperated with state-backed projects. Blossoms, in particular, is part of Shanghai’s cultural branding campaign, with full support from Party-led propaganda departments. It received major state funding and was included as a central project on CCTV’s 2024 slate.
Wong is also a globally recognized auteur with real prestige in the West, making him valuable to China’s propaganda strategy of “telling China’s story well” (讲好中国故事).
Dropping such a cultural asset over a scandal stirred up by a disgruntled writer would be politically and culturally costly. This might explain why the official response has been unusually mild.
Many observers mistakenly assume that in China, once public outrage reaches a certain level, authorities will respond accordingly. But that’s only true when popular opinion and official interests are aligned. When they’re not—when the Party-state sees strategic value in protecting someone—public outcry changes nothing. If the Party believes Wong is worth keeping, then some of his comments will simply be forgiven.
The Cost of Speaking Out
At the center of this entire story is Gu Er. Was he wrong to weaponize nationalist outrage? Were his methods excessive or dangerous? Reactions are mixed. Some argue that leaking private recordings (especially political ones) is troubling and contributes to a climate of fear and self-censorship. Others sympathize, believing that Gu Er, who has suffered so much both physically and emotionally, shouldn’t be judged too harshly.
In the well-known Fanpai Yingping (反派影评) podcast, film journalist Bomi argued that Gu didn’t intentionally politicize the conflict; rather, he was responding within a system that had already politicized his case. Wong’s team never approached the issue as a civil labor dispute. They had enough opportunities to negotiate or settle, but instead, but chose not to . Perhaps it was arrogance. Or perhaps a confidence that the show, backed as a state-supported “main melody” (主旋律) production tied to enormous interests, would never be abandoned.
There seems to have been a clear mission to silence Gu Er. After shutting down his WeChat account, members of staff allegedly tried to intimidate him by visiting the house of his 90-year-old grandmother to deliver legal letters.
In the November 8 statement by the team, they accused him of “inciting social division” (“煽动社会对立”) and “manipulating negative emotions” (“诱导负面情绪”) and claimed he was “evading domestic legal investigation” (“逃避国内司法调查和认定”) by staying overseas—all language that is reminiscent of official state announcements. Some netizens even suggested it evoked the tone of old-school ideological and political denunciation—strong on rhetoric but lacking in substantive legal action. They frame this entire story into the context of a powerful production crew violating labor law treating a powerless writer like a political criminal.
The repercussions of this controversy are far from over, and to what extent it will have consequences for both Wong Kar-wai and Gu Er remains to be seen. Will Wong ever speak out? Will Gu Er be silenced forever?
Regardless, it is clear that Wong’s reputation has suffered. Long regarded as a “hero” of Chinese cinema, this incident has changed how many in mainland China now perceive the famous “Sunglasses.” Some call him a misogynist; others denounce him for exploiting staff. Still others see him as a hypocrite, suggesting that although he criticizes authoritarianism in the leaked recordings, he operates and thrives within that very system. One Weibo commenter wrote that the “Sunglasses King turned out to be the villain of the story.”
Although Gu Er has also received criticism for his actions, he has encouraged others through his insistence on standing up to those in power who bullied and discredited him. Recently, another screenwriter posted on Xiaohongshu about a similar experience: after independently completing the full script for a Chinese drama, he discovered that the boss had listed themself as Head Screenwriter in the end credits. The post was tagged “Gu Er” and received hundreds of comments, with many users sharing their own stories of being exploited as scriptwriters.
Even turning the dispute into a political issue failed to bring Gu Er any justice or revenge on his exploitative former employer. Still, he has gained something else: recognition from others, for whom his resistance has become a source of inspiration. Even if it was not the kind of recognition he originally sought, Gu Er still gets his credit in the end.
By Ruixin Zhang edited for clarity by Manya Koetse
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