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Weibo Watch: Comedy, Controversy, Complexity

Humor is serious business. This is the What’s on Weibo newsletter, issue 4, featuring China’s social heartbeat of week 20.

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PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #4 | READING TIME: 7 MIN

 

Dear Reader,

It was Saturday night in Beijing’s Dongcheng District when the Chinese comedian Li Haoshi, better known as ‘House’, performed one of his stand-up comedy shows. The 31-year-old had gained significant recognition after participating as a contestant on the immensely popular stand-up comedy competition series called “Rock & Roast,” which had propelled his career to new heights.

However, his world quickly unraveled over the past week when he used a well-known People’s Liberation Army (PLA) motto, “good style of work, capable of winning battles,” to humorously depict two stray dogs chasing a squirrel. A member of the audience recorded the joke and subsequently leaked it. By now, you are likely familiar with the extensive repercussions the Chinese comedian is facing as a result of this incident: his shows were called off, he was banned from social media, his employer was fined more than $2 million, he was blacklisted under orders of the China Performing Arts Association (CAPA), and he is now under official investigation.

As the story made headlines worldwide, it was also the biggest discussion of the week on Weibo, where some related hashtags received over one billion views. Interestingly enough, many of the Chinese online discussions about the scandal were focused on the U.S. and how there are also many limits to freedom of speech in ‘the land of the free.’

Although Li was doing western-influenced stand-up comedy, the U.S. actually had nothing to do with the controversial joke, nor with Li’s cancelation. But it seems that people always need some kind of ‘whataboutism’ to make sense of the things that are happening around them by measuring them to how other nations, cultures, and societies deal with similar issues.

Nevertheless, the American stand-up comedy context won’t really help in further understanding the specific ‘House’ incident – and there’s more to the issue than meets the eye. On social media, numerous netizens expressed anger right from the start, with some aiming to defend the esteemed reputation of China’s military, and others holding the comedian responsible for disregarding well-known boundaries. Then there are those who are more concerned about the potential harm ‘House’ may be causing to China’s flourishing, albeit still evolving, stand-up comedy industry.

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

For our latest article, we did a deep dive to highlight all of these three aspects behind the issue. For all this and more, see our list of featured articles in this newsletter where we explore the major trends that have recently captured the attention of Chinese social media users. Also make sure to get the quick takes on online media, popular Chinese catchwords, and foreign affairs. What’s on Weibo intern Zilan Qian, news editor Miranda Barnes, and Sinification‘s Thomas des Garets Geddes have contributed to this week’s newsletter.

Got questions or suggestions? I always like to hear more about the China topics you’d like to know more about. Contact me via email or DM, or follow me on Twitter for the latest news and trends.

Best,
Manya

 

What to Know

Quick takes: Weibo & the world

 
Major trends to know:

  • ▶︎ Group of Seven. The G7 meeting that took place in Hiroshima this week made headlines in Chinese media for the group’s “hostile plans against China and Russia.” Neither Russia nor China are part of the group. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson slammed the G7 communiqué for “smearing and attacking China” as well as “interfering in China’s internal affairs.”
  • ▶︎ Update on Chinese couple’s Bali ‘murder.’ Indonesian police announced Wednesday that the death of a Chinese couple in Bali is ruled a murder-suicide. The case had been trending on Weibo since earlier this month. According to the official media briefing, the 25-year-old Chinese man beat and drowned his 22-year-old girlfriend in a bathtub at the InterContinental Hotel. He then took his own life by stabbing himself with a broken beer bottle in his neck and body. On Weibo, many people expressed doubts over the outcome of the investigation.
  • ▶︎ Hubei floating bridge incident. Five people from Shanxi Province were killed in Hubei on May 16 when an SUV with 8 passengers plunged into the water from a popular 400-meter-long ‘floating bridge’ at the Lion’s Gate scenic area. The floating bridge had been in operation since 2016 and no prior accidents were reported. A video of the incident went viral on Weibo.
  • ▶︎ Chinese pilot fired after secretly filming stewardess.. A short video capturing a tense situation involving Chinese flight crew went trending on Chinese social media platforms this week. A Xiamen Airlines co-pilot was caught secretly filming in the women’s restroom. On Saturday, police confirmed the man had been detained and he has since been fired from his job.
  • ▶︎ Uncle Roger’s Weibo account banned. After the Li Haoshi controversy, another comedian saw his Weibo account banned this week. It concerns the Malaysian-born comedian Nigel Ng, aka Uncle Roger, whose Weibo and Bilibili accounts were suspended after clips shared online showed the comedian poking fun at Xi Jinping and Taiwan.

 
Note from the News Editor – by Miranda:

  • ▶︎ Over the past week, a story about a manager in the civil service requesting three female employees to coordinate their pregnancies so that they don’t all go on maternity leave simultaneously trended on Chinese social media (#领导让我们三个怀孕错开#). The story first attracted attention because a 26-year-old woman sought advice from netizens. She expressed her desire to have a baby in the year of the dragon, a highly sought-after Chinese zodiac sign. However, the situation became more complex when she discovered that two female colleagues in their mid-30s in the same department were also planning to have their second child, aiming for the same year.
  • ▶︎ The situation sparked a lively discussion regarding the challenges posed by balancing office workload and maternity leave. Many expressed concerns about the potential additional burden if all three female staff members were to take maternity leave at the same time, particularly in a small office setting. Others envied the woman for her secure civil servant job, noting that she could proceed without fear of being fired.
  • ▶︎ The topic is interesting because it shows the predicament many managers and female employees find themselves in regarding the practical aspects of maternity leave. A majority of commenters suggested that the Chinese government should play a more active role in providing support for both workplaces and individuals. This is particularly important considering the government’s official encouragement for people to have more children in order to address the country’s low birth rates and rapidly aging society.

 
The China-Central Asia summit as viewed from China – by Sinification:

  • Context: China’s hosting of its first in-person summit with five Central Asian states, known as the C5, has generated significant headlines in Chinese newspapers this week.
  • Why it matters: The China-Central Asia Summit signals China’s growing clout in a region traditionally influenced by Russia.
  • What Chinese experts are saying: “Over the years, relations between China and Central Asian countries have developed relatively quickly. The reason for this is that we have complementary economies and common interests in such areas as countering terrorism and opposing colour revolutions. Of course, the current Russo-Ukrainian war is also an important factor … China and the five Central Asian countries are basically on the same page when it comes to this conflict. Central Asia was once a part of the Soviet Union. It does not want the Russo-Ukrainian war to continue and will of course not be recognising Russia’s ‘referendums’ pertaining to these territorial issues.” – Pan Guang (潘光): Senior Researcher, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.
  • To receive free weekly insights from Chinese think-tank and academic circles on a range of key international topics, subscribe to Thomas’s “Sinification” newsletter here.

 

What’s Trending

A closer look at the top stories

1: A Joke Too Far | There is a delicate balance between humor and controversy, and Chinese comedian Li Haoshi recently discovered the consequences of crossing that line. In a punchline that took aim at China’s People’s Liberation Army, Li found himself at the center of a significant controversy. Is Li deserving of his ensuing cancellation? On Chinese social media, opinions are divided.

Read more
 

2: 10 Innovative Transformations | During the pandemic, nucleic acid testing booths in Chinese cities were primarily focused on maintaining physical distance. Now, empty booths are being repurposed to bring people together, serving as new spaces to serve the community and promote social engagement. From beer shops to study rooms, here are 10 examples of how they are being repurposed.

Read more
 

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

Read more
 

 

What’s Noteworthy

Small news with big impact

Chen’s death led to discussions on dangers of overwork | Chen Hao (陈昊), a renowned Chinese computer programmer and the founder of high performance software company MegaEase, passed away on May 13th due to a heart attack. Known as “Right Ear Mouse” (左耳朵耗子), Chen had been actively sharing his programming ideas and experiences in the information technology field since 2002, amassing a large following on his paid channel. Prior to establishing MegaEase in 2017, Hao Chen had worked as a software development expert at Thomson Reuters, Amazon, and Alibaba Cloud.

With over 20 years of software development experience, his passing at the age of 47 has sparked conversations about work-life balance and the importance of prioritizing one’s well-being. Many netizens attribute his untimely death to overwork. In an older Bilibili video titled “What to do when there’s too much overwork and no time to study? (加班太多没时间学习怎么办?)”, Chen shared his commitment to reading books for an hour every day despite working until 10 pm on workdays. He also dedicated weekends and public holidays to catching up on work and improving his technical knowledge. The top comment on the video now argues that “we have to take responsibility for our own health.” The problem of overwork in China’s tech industry has raised many discussions over the past few years, especially after the death of a 22-year-old Pinduoduo employee in 2021.

 

What’s Popular

The latest buzz in arts & pop culture

From Nobel Prize to ChatGPT | Nobel laureate Mo Yan employed ChatGPT to write an award speech for author Yu Hua, the first Chinese writer to receive the James Joyce Award in 2002. During the 65th anniversary celebration of the Chinese literary magazine Shouhuo in Shanghai, Mo Yan revealed his struggle to create a suitable speech for Yu Hua. Eventually, he sought the assistance of a graduate student who used ChatGPT to produce a Shakespearean-style hymn exceeding 1000 characters.

Mo Yan and Yu Hua share a unique friendship and often engage in playful banter, even being mistaken for each other. A humorous incident recalls the time when Mo Yan was misidentified as Yu Hua and asked to sign one of Yu’s books. After a brief thought, Mo Yan signed the book using Yu’s name. This incident led netizens to affectionately nickname Mo as “Contemporary Top-tier Body Double Literature (当代顶级替身文学).”

 

What’s Memorable

Best reads from the archive

Life after Cancelation | For this week’s throwback from the archives, and especially given the recent Li Haoshi scandal, we bring you an article about fallen celebrities from 2021. It was a year that witnessed numerous Chinese celebrities experiencing the unfortunate downfall of their careers due to controversies. While some celebrities found themselves entangled in scandals stemming from illegal actions and misdeeds, not all of them are a result of strict regulations. Sometimes, reputations crumble under the weight of cheating scandals, salacious affairs, or the release of inappropriate online messages. While some ‘fallen stars’ have managed to rebuild their lives outside the spotlight, there are others who just can’t seem to steer clear of trouble. Read more here:

Read more
 

 

Weibo Word of the Week

The catchword to know

Our Weibo Word of the Week is quánzhí érnǚ (全职儿女), which means “full-time children” (sons and daughters). In this case, it particularly refers to a “full time daughter.” This word kept coming up in many online discussions this week after Toutiao News (头条新闻) featured the story of ‘Nian An,’ who is now known as the “full-time daughter.” After quitting her job without securing a new one (called as “naked resignation” luǒ cí 裸辞), Nian An made the decision to temporarily rely on her parents for support. She spends every weekend at her parents’ house, assisting her mother with dinner preparations and providing companionship. In return for her presence, her parents offer her a monthly allowance of 4000 yuan ($570), with the option to request additional funds if needed. Nian An sees being a “full-time daughter” as a “freelance job full of love” (“充满爱的自由职业”).

Some argue that being a “full-time child” (全职儿女) differs from “living off parents” (啃老). They believe that being a “full-time child” is a transitional stage that allows young people to wholeheartedly prepare for graduate school applications or civil servant exams while exchanging their caretaking efforts for financial support from their parents. The article by Toutiao News mentions that these individuals often have higher education and well-defined career plans but choose to temporarily stay at home due to the increasingly competitive environment in recent years. Nevertheless, not everyone embraces this “new job” wholeheartedly. One internet user sarcastically commented: “This is the first time in my life hearing people put ‘living off their parents’ in such an elegant way.”

 

This is an on-site version of the Weibo Watch newsletter by What’s on Weibo. Missed last week’s newsletter? Find it here. If you are already subscribed to What’s on Weibo but are not yet receiving this newsletter in your inbox, please contact us directly to let us know.

Stories that are authored by the What's on Weibo Team are the stories that multiple authors contributed to. Please check the names at the end of the articles to see who the authors are.

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Weibo Watch: High-Speed Snapshot of Social Dynamics

There is more to these small incidents than meets the eye. This is the Weibo Watch wrap-up of China’s biggest social media discussions of week 19, 2023.

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PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #3 | READING TIME: 12 MIN

 

Dear Reader,

Ms. Wang was already tired when she got on the C6276 high-speed train to Chengdu on Tuesday evening. Just as she was trying to get settled into her reserved seat, she was rudely interrupted by the constant kicking of the chair from behind her. Looking back, she saw two children, merrily kicking her chair as if it were a playground ride. She found herself annoyed with the state of parenting in China today, where it seemed like too many parents were willing to let their children run wild without consequence. She decided to confront the kids immediately.

Meanwhile, Ms. Yang, a mother traveling with three children, was also feeling exhausted and on edge. Her children were overly energetic and couldn’t seem to calm down. It was way past their bedtime. As the lady in front of them suddenly began scolding her kids, Ms. Yang had had enough of people showing no consideration for her and her children. She decided to stand up for herself right away.

This was the scenario that unfolded when two female passengers on a high-speed train recently became embroiled in an argument. The confrontation between the two women quickly escalated, and Ms. Yang slapped Ms. Wang in the face. In response, Ms. Wang retaliated by slapping Ms. Yang twice. The incident, seemingly a minor altercation, gained nationwide attention on Chinese social media, sparking a debate on the problem of ‘brat children’ and their passive parents, self-defense, and whether authorities were too quick to punish both parties involved.

Is the ‘train slapping incident’ an important event? Probably not. But the incident is symptomatic of a larger trend. Videos of altercations on China’s high-speed trains flooded social media following the May Day busy travel season.

These kinds of high-speed train scenes are like a microcosm of the larger society. As people from different backgrounds and walks of life are seated together in a confined environment, the dynamics and problems that exist in society are suddenly magnified, and conflicts can quickly escalate. Whether it is about intergenerational respect, individualism, or a lack of consideration for others, there is much more to these small incidents than meets the eye. While these dynamics are not unique to China by any means, the frustrations that arise do relate to problems specific to present-day Chinese society. The online discussions that ensued analyzed every second of the incident, and the subsequent viral video garnered a range of opinions on how the incident should have been handled.

For all this and more, see our list of featured articles in this newsletter to dive deeper into the major trends that have attracted attention on Chinese social media this week. Also make sure to get the quick takes on social media, noteworthy trends, and popular Chinese catchwords by Miranda Barnes, Zilan Qian, and Andrew Methven in this week’s newsletter.

Got questions or suggestions? I always like to hear more about the China topics you’d like to know more about. Contact me via email or DM, or follow me on Twitter for the latest news and trends.

Best,
Manya @manyapan

 

What to Know

Quick takes: Weibo & the world

 
Major trends to know:

  • ▶︎ Xi Jinping’s Xiong’an New Area tour. Xi Jinping’s visit to Xiong’an New Area, located in northern Hebei Province, has placed renewed attention on the development of the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region this week. The area is now being touted as a leading model for China’s urban future and eco-friendliness, innovation, high-tech advancement, and economical growth.
  • ▶︎ Tianzhou 6: The new space mission. An upgraded version of China’s Tianzhou cargo spacecraft was successfully launched on Wednesday and docked with China’s Tiangong Space Station less than 8 hours later. The news event received a lot of attention on Chinese social media, where news was celebrated by state media outlets.
  • ▶︎ 15th anniversary Sichuan earthquake. Footage and images of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake were trending this week as May 12 marked the 15th anniversary of one of the most catastrophic earthquakes in Chinese history which caused the death of approximately 70,000 people.
  • ▶︎ District mayor pushes museum director. It almost sounds like the plot of a crime drama. On May 8th, the Luliang Revolution Museum in the city’s Lishi District released a closure notice stating that their director got into a dispute with the district mayor and was pushed by him, allegedly leading the museum director to lose consciousness. Local government denies, and investigations are underway.
  • ▶︎ Solar sun in Wuhan There have been a lot of videos on Weibo showing the spectacular sun halo that appeared in Wuhan on Saturday. The rather spectacular phenomenon, also known as a 22-degree halo, is a ring of light that appears when sunlight is refracted, or bent, by ice crystals in the atmosphere.
  • ▶︎ Death sentence for couple killing children. A father and his girlfriend were sentenced to death in their second trial for killing two toddlers by throwing them off a building in Chongqing in 2020. The girlfriend allegedly could not accept her boyfriend’s children, and conspired to kill them together with him. The couple appealed their earlier death penalty verdict, but the original judgment was upheld. The verdict has been widely supported by Chinese netizens, who called for their immediate execution.

 
Note from the News Editor – by Miranda:

  • ▶︎ 200 households evacuated after accidental removal of load-bearing wall | A trending topic this week brought back memories of a 2015 Chinese New Year’s Gala sketch, which featured a man who hired a migrant worker to help renovate his new apartment. The worker used two hammers to break down walls, causing chaos and damage to the property and neighboring wall. The act elicited laughter from the audience, who found the chaotic construction scenario all too relatable.
  • Last week, that scene became a reality as residents from an apartment in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, found several huge cracks on the walls inside their home. Later they learned that the person who rented the business unit on the lower floors had removed a load-bearing wall to make space for their billiard room. As the building is unsafe to live in, over 200 households were evacuated from their homes.
  • The damage is estimated to be over 160 million yuan (approximately 23 million USD), and the property’s value is now uncertain, although most of the households still have mortgages to pay. The tenant who initiated the disastrous construction work could be held accountable, along with the contractors and property management company, but it’s impossible for them to provide the required compensation. No house insurance was held by the 200 households (it’s also not obligatory for property owners in China). The trending hashtag “Who will pay the 160 million in compensation” (“1.6亿赔偿款谁来出”) reflected the fear of being in a similar situation. Some referenced the 2005 comic sketch and argued that it was a missed chance to educate the public on the dangers of unsafe construction, the significance of building insurance, and the importance of hiring skilled construction workers.

 
Spotted by Zilan, What’s on Weibo author & intern:

  • ▶︎ Shifting clothes sizes, celebrity diet craze | Why do women’s clothes keep getting smaller and smaller? This hashtag (#为什么女装越做越小?#)” has recently become popular on Chinese social media. Many women have shared their experiences of being unable to find properly fitting clothes, despite choosing sizes that used to fit them well. Online shoppers have complained about receiving unreasonably small clothes. Netizens are expressing frustration that XL-sized clothes look like they are meant for children, that skirts are too short to cover their buttocks, and that some clothes only come in sizes as small as M.
  • As clothing sizes continue to shrink, people are left wondering who these clothes are designed for. This trend has sparked body anxiety among some individuals who question whether they need to lose weight in order to fit into the smaller sizes.
  • Although there may not be enough suitable clothes for women, there are always enough ways to lose weight. Over the past week, Chinese actor Qin Hao’s diet plan (秦昊减肥法) received a lot of attention online. After Qin successfully lost over 20 pounds he gained for a role in the series “The Long Season (漫长的季节),” his wife shared his diet plan on Weibo. Despite complaints that the plan starves people to death, many people are still strictly following it and sharing their progress on social media. The topic of celebrity diet plans keep going viral. Discussions about celebrities losing weight, and finding and following their diet plans are never-ending, indicating the persistent body anxiety among Chinese women. The topic of celebrity diet plans will be covered in more depth in my upcoming article for What’s on Weibo – stay tuned!

 

What’s Trending

A closer look at the top stories

1: Teaching Fake History | The inclusion of a propaganda print by Japanese ukiyo-e artist Toshihide Migita (右田年英) from 1895 in a new Chinese history book for children has sparked controversy this week. The illustration, which portrays the surrender of the esteemed Chinese Admiral Ding Ruchang during the Sino-Japanese War, is historically inaccurate and has raised concerns among Chinese netizens about the quality of Chinese textbooks. Many are questioning how the book was ever approved for publication back in 2017.

Read more
 

2: Online Discussions on Salary and Inflation | Comparing prices and salaries between generations is always interesting. A hashtag titled “When My Dad Was Young His Monthly Income Was 2000 Yuan” (#爸爸年轻时的工资是2000#) received 130 million views on Weibo this week and raised discussions about changes in average monthly salary, inflation, and discouraged youth. Are people still making as little as 2000 yuan ($287) per month? A quick search on online job sites will show you that it’s what a basic McDonald’s staff member in a smaller Chinese city would start with and it’s also a reality for many in China’s more rural areas.

Read more
 

3: Why Three Slaps Triggered Nationwide Discussions | An explosive argument between two female passengers on a high-speed train has gone viral on Chinese social media this week. The fight has triggered widespread discussions on the issue of ‘mutual assault,’ the problem of ‘brat children,’ and why it might be wiser to avoid intervening in these types of disputes altogether.

Read more
 
 

What’s Noteworthy

Small news with big impact

 

Shanghai authorities catch human frog selling toy frogs | On May 12, a street vendor dressed up as a human-sized frog selling toy frogs was apprehended by urban management officials in Shanghai and was forced to remove the frog costume on the spot. Photos circulating online showed that the person wearing the frog suit was actually an elderly woman with grey hair. The officials were only enforcing the official regulations that prohibit individuals from setting up stalls or selling goods in public places without permission.

However, many people sympathized with the vendor who was simply trying to earn an honest living. Street vendors are already at the bottom of the economic ladder, and many netizens believe that local law enforcement should exercise leniency instead of apprehending ‘frog’ sellers, that are bringing joy to local kids, as if they were criminals. “You’re not giving people a way to survive,” one popular comment said. One related hashtag (#网红卖崽青蛙上海落网#) received over 470 million on Weibo this week.
 

What’s Popular

The latest buzz in brands & pop culture

Joy of Life | The second season of the popular Chinese TV series Joy of Life (庆余年) was announced this week. The drama – all about time traveling, politics, power struggles and romance, – is based on a Chinese web novel by author Mao Ni (猫腻). The show, that follows the story of a contemporary man who awakens as a baby in the Southern Qing, gained immense popularity when it first premiered in 2019 and was well-received by audiences and critics alike. The story of the first season ended with a cliffhanger, leaving fans eagerly awaiting a second season. On May 10th, the official Weibo account for Joy of Life announced the start of production for the second season, and the original cast members, including lead actor Zhang Ruoyun, will be back in the next season. “Finally!” many commenters wrote. Did you miss season one? Watch with English subtitles via the link below.

See video
 

 

What’s Memorable

Best reads from the archive

The High-Speed Train Tyrants (高铁霸座) | For this week’s pick from the archives, and in light of the train theme, we’ve selected an article from 2018, when two different ‘train tyrants’ went absolutely viral on Chinese social media. It all started with a man who occupied someone else’s seat on an express train from Jinan to Beijing. He refused to get up, pretending he could not walk and needed a wheelchair – although he was fine walking when boarding the train. He soon became known as the notorious “High-Speed Train Tyrant” (gāotiě bà zuò nán 高铁霸座男). Not long after, his female counterpart went trending. This gāotiě bà zuò nǚ 高铁霸座女, a.k.a. “Train Tyrant Woman,” also rudely refused to get up from a seat that was never hers to begin with. Read more here:

Read more
 
 

Weibo Word of the Week – by Andrew

The catchword to know

Our Weibo Word of the Week is wā ya wā ya wā (挖呀挖呀挖). Last week’s newsletter featured the noteworthy news about a teacher from Wuhan who suddenly went viral with a short video of her singing the kid’s song “Digging in the Garden” (挖呀挖 wā ya wā).

The phrase and main line of the song, “digging, digging, digging” (挖呀挖呀挖 wā ya wā ya wā), has already become a new internet slang phrase with its own Baidu page, including example sentences of how to use it in different contexts.

“Digging, digging” has even made its way into official government statements, like in this press release from the Gansu government on 5 May announcing the first case of ChatGPT crime in China:

挖呀挖,甘肃公安侦破首例利用AI人工智能技术炮制虚假信息案!

Digging, digging: Gansu police cracked the first case of using AI artificial intelligence technology to concoct false information!

“Digging” has quickly transitioned from being used in a classroom in Wuhan to exploding on the internet, and even making its way into official government documents within a matter of days. It remains to be seen whether this phrase will endure, but we will continue ‘digging digging’ to monitor its evolution and how its meaning may develop.

Want to learn more Chinese? Subscribe to Andrew Methven’s super insightful Slow Chinese free newsletter here.

 

This is an on-site version of the Weibo Watch newsletter by What’s on Weibo. Missed last week’s newsletter? Find it here. If you are already subscribed to What’s on Weibo but are not yet receiving this newsletter in your inbox, please contact us directly to let us know.

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Weibo Watch: The Anti-Buzz

As we wrap up week 18 of 2023, let’s take a look at the top trends on Chinese social media. These are the main takeaways you need to know.

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PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #2 | READING TIME: 8 MIN

 

Dear Reader,

Welcome to Weibo Watch, the exclusive premium newsletter by What’s on Weibo that keeps you up-to-date on the latest stories and trends in Chinese social media and digital culture.

A small business owner in the Shandong city of Zibo had no idea what hit him when he saw thousands of visitors flocking to his shop. The industrial city of Zibo has been an online hit for weeks now, so he was used to seeing a large influx of travelers in the area. But now he himself had become the main attraction after a video in which a female tourist touched his muscles went viral overnight. What do you do when you suddenly see 180,000 visitors a day passing by your small duck’s head [鸭头, a Chinese snack] shop?

As described in one recent Chinese blog, the duck’s head seller is one of the latest “victims” of the ‘Zibo BBQ’ craze. By now, the incredible popularity of the barbecue city is also referred to as the “Zibo Phenomenon” (淄博现象). The city has been all over China’s social media top trending lists over the past week, and there are many discussions on how the city succeeded in becoming such a success, what it all means, and the downsides that come with it.

When a trend becomes excessively popular in a short span of time, it is almost inevitable for an anti-buzz to emerge. With high expectations, people tend to get disappointed easily. The larger the hype, the more significant the impact of even the slightest negative news.

What is striking about the recent Zibo discussions, is how it is triggering introspective debates on the dynamics of Chinese social media and the role played by online influencers and local authorities. However, there are divergent opinions among Chinese scholars, journalists, and bloggers who have written about this ‘Zibo Phenomenon.’ While some argue that it is all about free market governance and public participation, others suggest that the city’s success is actually the result of strict government control and influence.

The duck’s head shop owner probably won’t care a lot about all of these discussions. Although his hit status initially boosted sales, the crowds of people coming to his shop soon became so overwhelming that he could no longer run his business as usual (see video). As some even started harassing and physically assaulting him, he could no longer do his work and has now closed his shop. In a recent live stream, he tearfully talked about how his business, ironically, was ruined due to his viral success.

For all this and more, see our list of featured articles in this newsletter to dive deeper into the major trends that have recently attracted attention on Chinese social media. Also make sure to get the quick takes on social media, foreign affairs, and popular Chinese catchwords by Miranda Barnes, Thomas des Garets Geddes, and Andrew Methven in this week’s newsletter.

Got questions or suggestions? I always like to hear more about the China topics you’d like to know more about. Contact me via email or DM, or follow me on Twitter for the latest news and trends.

Best,

Manya

 

What to Know

Quick takes: Weibo & the world

 
Major trends to know:

  • ▶︎ May Day holiday craze. The May Day “Golden week” holiday has come to an end. Travelers made 274 million trips within mainland China during the holiday, which exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
  • ▶︎ King Charles III coronation. The coronation ceremony of King Charles III was also a big topic on Weibo and Douyin this weekend. noteworthy is that many of the top videos on the event were about the ‘not my king’ protests. China’s vice president Han Zheng arrived in London on Thursday for the coronation.
  • ▶︎ Hotel guest finds dead body underneath bed. One Chinese man’s stay at a hotel in Lhasa turned into a nightmare when he discovered a corpse under the bed in which he had been sleeping. The man found the body after noticing a strong smell in his room. The incident led to a murder investigation and the arrest of a suspect.
  • ▶︎ Chinese evacuated from Sudan. China successfully evacuated over 1,300 of its nationals from Sudan this week. The safe evacuation was met with praise online, where the mission was also called a “real life version” of Chinese blockbuster Homecoming.
  • ▶︎ Chinese couple murdered in Bali? Two Chinese nationals, a 22-year-old female and a 25-year-old male, were found dead in their hotel room at the InterContinental hotel in Jimbaran, Bali. The male’s body was found on the balcony and the female’s body was found in the bathtub with wounds on her neck. While the cause of their deaths is still under investigation, the case has become a big topic on Chinese socials.

 
Note from the News Editor – by Miranda:

  • ▶︎ Over the past week, the topic “How Can Ordinary People Have 10 Million in Assets” (普通人如何拥有千万资产) trended on Chinese social media. Some argued that owning a property in tier 1 cities like Beijing or Shanghai could already make you worth over 10 million yuan (just under $1.5 million). Many found the amount of money discussed to be out of touch with reality, as they struggle to cover their daily living costs and have no hope of ever amassing such wealth. The conversation eventually evolved into a broader discussion of achieving financial success.
  • ▶︎ In the past 50 years, China has made significant economic strides, leading to an improved quality of life for its citizens. This progress is still remembered by the majority of Chinese citizens who have experienced huge improvements in their standard of living during their lifetime.
  • ▶︎ In the late 90s, wàn yuán hù (万元户), meaning “household with over 10k assets” (under $1.5k), was a label of wealth status. However, the number 10 million yuan now seems much harder to attain. This raises concerns about social mobility, as most people interested in the topic are “ordinary” or have not yet amassed that much wealth. It seems that hard work and opportunities may no longer be enough to achieve financial success, but that shouldn’t stop people from dreaming.

 
Sinification’s foreign affairs views from China – by Thomas:

  • ▶︎ One of China’s most eminent international relations experts, Yan Xuetong (阎学通), recently warned Chinese businesses to brace themselves for a rough ride over the coming couple of decades. He bemoaned the current dire state of US-China relations and the fractures this is creating across the world.
  • ▶︎ In Yan’s words: “I am now in my 70s and when we were children in the 50s and 60s we grew up cursing US leaders. Since Nixon’s visit to China in ’72, China stopped naming and shaming the American leadership. [However,] after Trump came to power, we resumed naming and shaming them, calling Pompeo an enemy of mankind. How far [down] do you want bilateral relations to go? During my most recent visit to the US, I felt that the perception of China in America had also seriously deteriorated. I met some of our overseas students who told me that American students would not say it out loud, but that everyone knows that they harbour a lot of hostility towards Chinese students.”
  • ▶︎ For more in-depth takes on foreign affairs as viewed from China, subscribe to the Sinification newsletter by Thomas des Garets Geddes here.

 

What’s Trending

A closer look at the top stories

1: “College Student Special Forces” (大学生特种兵) | This Labor Day holiday, ‘special forces travelers’ were flooding popular tourist spots across China. Their mission is clear: covering as many places as possible at the lowest cost and within a limited time. While the travel trend has become a social media hype, there are also those criticizing the trend for being superficial and troublesome.

Read more
 

2: Consumerism and Empty Social Spectacle | Fast, fun, BBQ travel is a major topic on Chinese social media these days. Chinese journalist & academic Liu Yadong reposted a noteworthy short essay by the WeChat account Jiuwenpinglun in which the author argued that the hype surrounding Zibo barbecue is a symptom of a “sick society” in which people are disconnected from meaningful topics. While serious social issues are muted and superficial marketing tricks are blasted all over the internet, China’s “hypocritical youth” actively participate in the societal emptiness they say they reject. We translated the controversial for you:

Read more
 

3: Why Zibo’s Strength Is Also Its Weakness | It’s like a Shandong ‘Disneyland,’ but with more people and longer lines. The city of Zibo has become a major tourist attraction, filled with lively atmosphere, cheap BBQ, and friendly people. But local business owners also face the downsides of operating in a city that has become so extremely popular. In this feature article, we wrap up some of the latest controversies and discussions surrounding the Zibo trend.

Read more
 

 

What’s Noteworthy

Small news with big impact

 

China’s Most Famous Kindergarten Teacher | Teacher Huang (黄老师在) from Wuhan suddenly became China’s most beloved kindergarten teacher this week after she uploaded a video of herself singing the “Digging in the Garden” (挖呀挖). The video soon went viral, receiving millions of views. Huang became a social media sensation, not only because of her enthusiasm and warmth, but also because of the catchy song itself. The video also spawned a trend in which netizens uploaded their own versions of the song. There were some rumors that Huang actually was an online influencer, but they were later refuted. Nevertheless Huang received a lot of online hate: she is allegedly not qualified to teach, and there are legal questions over the copyright of the song she sang. With her latest livestream, Huang earned more than enough money to take some time off – which she did.

See video
 

What’s Popular

The latest buzz in brands & pop culture

The First Slam Dunk | The Japanese animated film The First Slam Dunk (灌篮高手) premiered in mainland China two weeks ago, earning $13.8m on its opening day. The movie is still top trending in the movie category now on Baidu top trends now. The First Slam Dunk is an adaptation from the 1990s Japanese basketball manga/anime series about high school and youth romance. The manga was a major hit in Japan, but also in China, where the new, award-winning movie is now bringing back a lot of ’90s nostalgy for many moviegoers. Watch the official trailer here:

See video
 

 

What’s Memorable

Best reads from the archive

Vagrant Shanghai Professor (上海流浪大师) | For this week’s pick from the archives, and especially in light of the buzz/anti-buzz theme, we’ve selected an article from 2019, when the popular short-video app Douyin flooded with videos of the so-called “Vagrant Shanghai Professor” (上海流浪大师). The homeless man, who eloquently discussed literature and philosophy, went viral on Chinese social media after someone posted a video of him. Within a few days after the first video of him went viral, hundreds of people began searching for him in the streets, disturbing his peace and quiet. When the crowds became too big, the Shanghai police had to intervene for his own safety. We could not find any updates about his current whereabouts but hope that the man – who never wished to go viral – has since found the peaceful life he longed for. Read more here:

Read more
 

 

Weibo Word of the Week – by Andrew

The catchword to know

Our Weibo Word of the Week is nóngguǎn (农管), which translates as “agricultural-management officers.” Nóngguǎn 农管 has been a trending topic on Weibo over the last week. It’s a nickname given to a new rural police force recently announced by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. According to the ministry, its officers will bring much-needed law enforcement to China’s countryside: catching sellers of counterfeit or substandard seeds, pesticides and veterinary medicines, and inspecting animals and plants for disease.

But the reception online so far has been very negative. Many netizens fear they will be like the much disliked urban equivalent, known as “urban-management officers”, or chéngguǎn 城管, who are among China’s most despised law enforcers. The chéngguǎn are generally disliked for their abuse of street vendors and record of violence. Due to this, there is a fear that the newly introduced village officials may not be any better in their conduct towards the residents they are meant to serve. You can read more about how these discussions are unfolding online in this week’s Slow Chinese.

Want to learn more Chinese? Subscribe to Andrew Methven’s super insightful Slow Chinese free newsletter here.

 

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