Newsletter
Weibo Watch: Doing Homework at the Hospital
Much lies behind the image of Chinese kids doing their homework in hospitals. We discuss that powerful image, the latest film about Zhang Guimei, the Three Subject Dance, and the Weibo hashtags to know.
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #19
This week’s newsletter:
◼︎ 1. Editor’s Note – Homework at hospitals
◼︎ 2. What’s Featured – A closer look at the featured stories
◼︎ 3. What More to Know – Highlighting 8 hot topics
◼︎ 4. What Lies Behind – Observations beyond the headlines, by Miranda Barnes
◼︎ 5. What’s Noteworthy – Much ado about fried eggs
◼︎ 6. What’s Popular – Shaoxing opera draws in a new kind of audience
◼︎ 7. What’s Memorable – One year since the ‘White Paper Protests’
◼︎ 8. Weibo Word of the Week – “Subject Three Dance”, a viral hit
Dear Reader,
‘What is this mysterious illness coming from China?’ ‘I heard Chinese hospitals are filled with kids?’ ‘Are face masks mandatory again?’ ‘Is the Health Code coming back?’ Over the past two weeks, while I was lying in bed with a fever of 39 degrees, I received numerous messages from non-Chinese friends expressing concern about images circulating online showing parents and their sick kids lining up in Chinese hospitals. For some, these scenes evoked memories of the early days of the pandemic and worries about an unknown virus.
While attracting global attention, the recent surge in China’s respiratory illnesses even prompted the World Health Organization to request more information from China about the clusters of pneumonia in children. Chinese health authorities reported no detection of unusual or novel pathogens. This current wave, occurring as China enters its first full winter season since the end of its ‘zero Covid’ restrictions, appears to be a mix of Mycoplasma infections, influenza, Covid-19, Norovirus, and Adenovirus. Coughs, colds, and fevers are notably affecting school-aged children.
A particular image that went viral recently showed Chinese school children doing homework while hooked up to an IV in the hospital. To some on the X platform, the image seemed so bizarre that they questioned its authenticity, suggesting it was fake or AI-generated. The English-language state media outlet SHINE (Shanghai Daily) clarified in one of its recent articles that the image was, in fact, real, and that study areas at some hospital infusion centers have been around since at least 2019.
However, that particular article, titled “AI-generated? Photo of Chinese students doing homework in hospital stirs X debate” was later taken offline and now leads to a 404 page.
Perhaps the disappearance of the article reflects the discomfort surrounding the scenes of Chinese schoolkids doing homework at hospitals. For many, seeing children in hospitals is already disheartening, but the sight of them doing homework in that setting –gasp– is the most dreadful thing they can imagine while also feeding into prejudiced ideas some foreigners may hold about life in China.
One thing I noticed about those messages I received about the images and videos depicting the surge in respiratory illnesses in China is that many people, especially those speaking from a European perspective, assume that children receiving IV fluids at the hospital must be seriously ill. The idea of letting such children do their homework is simply inconceivable.
In reality, it doesn’t necessarily take much to receive IV fluids in many Chinese hospitals or clinics. Unfortunately, part of China’s healthcare culture involves a profit-driven approach that can lead to over-prescriptions, excessive antibiotic use, unnecessary admissions, and the administration of intravenous fluids. Coupled with patients’ preference for hospital-based services and widespread expectations that IV infusions will make them feel better and speed up recovery, it’s not surprising that the practice of administering IV therapy has become routine among Chinese patients, even when their symptoms are mild.
Despite the prevalence of IV use and the many concerned parents who (partly also due to a lack in General Practictioners) are quick to take their sick kids to hospitals and clinics, the image and news articles of children doing their homework in hospitals also triggered discussions on Chinese social media.
The main point of discussion was not that the kids were too ill to do their homework nor that it was bizarre (many people actually praised local hospitals for setting up special study corners); the main focus was how these images embodied the concept of nèijuǎn 内卷, “involution.”
This buzzword has been generating discussions on Chinese social media for years now, and represents the competitive circumstances in academic or professional settings in China where individuals are compelled to overwork because of the standard raised by their peers who appear to be even more hardworking. One popular slogan used by a Chinese cram school showed that this societal rat-race already starts at a very young age: “If you come to us, we will train your kids, if you don’t come to us, we will train the competitors of your kids.”
Chinese clinics and hospitals offering special study rooms or homework corners for kids are actually also part of this ‘rat race.’ One hospital in Nantong, Jiangsu, recently opened up its brand-new study corner in the IV area (输液区一角“学习区”). A spokesperson argued that the hospital does not encourage parents to let their sick kids do homework at the hospital while hooked onto an IV. Still, without such spaces, kids would end up doing homework on floors and in dimly-lit hallways, creating a messy situation and making them even more uncomfortable.
Similarly, schools in Beijing have clarified that students who are ill are not required to finish their homework. Parents have also voiced their opinions, saying they don’t want their kids to do school work when they are ill, but the pressure is simply too much to avoid it.
Much lies behind the image of Chinese kids doing their homework at a hospital, but there’s also a lesson in how quickly people jump to conclusions without understanding the context. While that powerful image is interpreted differently in various contexts, one thing most people seem to agree on is that it’s never a bad idea to take things slow when feeling ill, especially for kids who could use a break.
As I pour myself another hot water with honey and ginger, I hope you also take care of your health during this cold and flu season and remember to take a pause from the everyday rat race, no matter your age or location.
Best,
Manya
What’s Trending
1: The Challenges of an Ordinary Chinese Couple | Two years after they first started sharing their story on Chinese social media, millions of netizens are engrossed in the struggles of the Chinese young parents Li Jun and Liang Liang, whose journey of starting a family and buying an apartment in the city at a time of economic downturn turned into an emotional rollercoaster.
2: Overwhelming Success of a Haidian Food Vendor | A Beijing food vendor, affectionately known as ‘Auntie Goose Legs,’ has become a viral sensation after becoming super popular among the city’s student community. However, this beloved ‘auntie’ has caused quite a commotion recently after relocating her stall, triggering debates among local students over which university she truly ‘belongs’ to.
3: Hu Xijin and Others Discuss Dutch Politics | The Dutch general elections on Tuesday, November 2022, resulted in a victory for the right-wing Freedom Party (PVV). The party, established in 2006, is led by the 60-year-old Dutch politician Geert Wilders who is known for his outspoken populist rhetoric and anti-establishment sentiments. On Chinese social media, the Dutch election outcome became a topic discussed by some well-known bloggers.
4: Hospitals Flooded during Wave of ‘Flu’ Cases | Recent discussions on Chinese social media platforms have highlighted a notable surge in flu cases. The ongoing flu season is particularly impacting children, with multiple viruses concurrently circulating and contributing to a high incidence of respiratory infections. Among the prevalent respiratory infections affecting children are Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, influenza, and Adenovirus infection. The spike in flu cases has resulted in overcrowded children’s hospitals in Beijing and other Chinese cities. Parents sometimes have to wait in line for hours to get an appointment or pick up medication.
What More to Know
◼︎ 1. “OLD FRIEND OF CHINA” KISSINGER DIES AGED 100 | The death of the 100-year-old Henry Kissinger made international headlines this week. In China, the former US Secretary of State is mostly remembered as “an old friend” of the country. His lifelong connection to China started in 1971, when he traveled to Beijing for a private meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai to plan the details of the significant and groundbreaking visit by President Nixon, which eventually took place in February 1972. Kissinger would eventually visit China over a 100 times, even after his retirement. His last visit to China took place in July of 2023, when he attended a meeting with President Xi Jinping. This week, Xi sent a condolence message to President Biden and extended sincere condolences to Kissinger’s family. Kissinger’s book On China is still a much-read classic in China.
Besides grieving over the death of Kissinger, Chinese netizens also mourned the loss of another American this week, namely Charlie Munger. The legendary investor, who had many fans in China, died at the age of 99. (Weibo hashtag “Kissinger Passes Away” #基辛格逝世#, 680 million views).
◼︎ 2. GETTING FINED IN SICHUAN’S PUGE | In November, the leaders of a village in Puge, a county in southern Sichuan Province, sparked heated debates by introducing new regulations. According to these rules, local residents could potentially face fines for maintaining a ‘dirty and disordered’ (‘脏乱差’) living environment. Examples of offenses include leaving spider webs in the home, having an untidy bed, or neglecting to do the dishes. The fines range from 3 yuan to 30 yuan ($0.42-$4.20). While some commenters believe that these regulations reflect the village’s attempt to promote cleanliness and order, an online poll revealed that the majority of respondents disagree with the idea of local village leaders imposing fines for personal messiness. (Weibo hastag “Place in Sichuan Gives 10 Yuan Fine for Not Folding Blanket” #四川一地规定不叠被子罚10元#, 140 million views).
◼︎ 3. VISA-FREE CHINA TRAVEL FOR 5 EU COUNTRIES + MALAYSIA | On November 24, China’s Foreign Ministry announced that, starting from December 1st 2023, individuals holding ordinary passports from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia can enjoy visa-free entry to China for business, tourism, family visits, and transit, as long as their stay does not exceed 15 days. This initiative, which aligns with China’s broader efforts to boost tourism and promote international exchanges, will continue until November 30, 2024. On Weibo, many netizens expressed disappointment that the visa-free travel regulation was unilateral; Chinese travelers still need a visa to enter these countries. (Weibo hashtag “China Tries Out Visa-Free Policy for France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Malaysia” #中方将对法德意荷西马六国试行免签政策#, 110 million views.)
◼︎ 4. CIVIL SERVANTS EXAMS | The yearly national public servant exams in China began last Sunday. With over 3 million candidates, this year marks a historically high number of candidates who are vying for the available 39,600 job openings in central government agencies and affiliated institutions – twice the amount of positions that were available in 2019. (Weibo hashtag “Average of 77 People Competing for One Position for 2024 National Exam” #2024国考平均约77人竞争一岗位#, 34 million views).
◼︎ 5. PINDUODUO’S 11-11-6 WORK SCHEDULE | As news circulated on November 29 that Pinduoduo, the Chinese online retailer, was on the verge of surpassing Alibaba as China’s most valuable e-commerce firm (spoiler: Alibaba remained the largest by day’s end), discussions about the company’s demanding work schedule gained traction on Weibo. According to insiders, employees are required to follow an “11-11-6” work system: start work at 11:00 a.m., get off at 11:00 p.m., and work six days a week. Sometimes they allegedly also work overtime until the early hours of the morning, making 70-hour work weeks. The harsh work culture at Pinduoduo already triggered national debates in 2021 after the sudden death of a 22-year-old female employee. (Weibo hashtag “Pinduoduo Work System” ##拼多多 工作制##, 50.9 million views).
◼︎ 6. COTTI COFFEE GOES TEA CAT | Cotti Coffee (库迪咖啡), founded by Charles Lu and Jenny Qian, former Luckin Coffee executives who departed in 2020, has expanded to over 5,000 locations across more than 300 cities in five countries. The brand gained attention last week with the announcement of its entry into the tea market. Starting from January 2024, Cotti is set to unveil its Milk Tea brand “Tea Cat” (茶猫), which is now in its pilot store testing phase. Given Cotti’s remarkable growth over the past 2 years, we can anticipate a surge in the number of ‘Tea Cat’ outlets in Chinese cities in the near future. (Weibo hashtag “Cotti Coffee Marches into the Tea [Industry]” #库迪咖啡进军奶茶#, 42,5 million views).
◼︎ 7. CHINESE BILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN REUNITED WITH SON | On December 1st, Jie Kefeng (解克锋), a wealthy Chinese entrepreneur from Hebei who had offered a million yuan reward to find his missing son, Jie Qingshuai (解清帅), finally reunited with him after 25 years. Jie Kefeng and his wife held a thank-you banquet on December 2nd, which attracted considerable attention online. Jie Qingshuai, the couple’s second son, was abducted in 1998 when his mother left him at home to run a quick errand. The couple never gave up on finding their son and finally, through the help of anti-child trafficking authorities and technology, they found their son, who was sold by human traffickers as a child. The people responsible for his kidnapping have since been arrested. (Weibo hashtag: “Billionaire Family Throws 26th Birthday Party for Abducted Son” #亿万富翁全家为被拐儿子补过26岁生日#, 32.2 million views).
◼︎ 8. YANG MING’S LOVE STRUGGLES | The renowned Chinese basketball player and head coach of the Liaoning Flying Leopards, Yang Ming (杨鸣), took center stage on Chinese social media this week due to rumors about his divorce from his wife Tang Jialiang, with whom he has two children. Despite Yang Ming being a prominent figure in the sports realm rather than in the Chinese entertainment circle, the private aspects of his life, particularly his romantic relationships, continue to captivate netizens who have been following the gossip surrounding the handsome coach for years. This heightened interest is fueled by past speculations of Yang Ming being involved with a female college student. His current romantic interest supposedly is a 45-year-old music teacher. (Weibo hashtag “Exposed: Yang Ming Divorced” ##杨鸣被曝离婚##, 430 million views).
What Lies Behind
Discussions over ‘True Feminism’
Beyond the Clouds (我本是高山) is a biographical film that premiered in China on November 24. Directed by Zheng Dasheng (郑大圣) and Yang Jin (杨锦), the film portrays the life of Zhang Guimei (张桂梅, 1957), a nationally renowned female principal who manages a girls’ school in the impoverished Huaping County, Lijiang, Yunnan province.
As a teacher in Huaping County, Zhang noticed many girls dropping out of school, forced into marriage or work. In many underprivileged areas of China, where sons are often favored over daughters, girls’ education takes a hit when finances are tight. Driven by her commitment to the higher Communist cause and the belief in the pivotal role of female education in shaping the nation’s future, Zhang established the first free girls’ school in China in 2008 with the help of donations. Over the past 15 years, this school has sent over 2000 girls to universities, setting them on diverse career paths.
Over the past decade, Zhang Guimei’s selfless work has been praised by the people and recognised by the authorities. In 2021, she even received a medal from Xi Jinping for her lifelong dedication to girls’ education in rural China, precisely where women’s emancipation is most crucial. Despite her popularity as a feminist championing girls’ education in China, the film has faced criticism for distorting elements of her story.
For instance, the film portrayed Zhang’s motivation to sustain the school as a personal response to mourning her husband’s early death. Feminist supporters of Zhang argue that this narrative transforms her commitment to a higher cause into a personal and romantic motive: ‘Can’t she just be doing this because she believes in the importance of female power? Why does everything have to be motivated by a man?’ they challenged.
Another point of discussion is how the film portrays female students skipping school to go shopping or hang out at internet cafes. Many commenters argued that this is far from the reality, “do you know how much these girls value their opportunity to continue school? Why do you portray them like that?” Another reason why some argued the movie was actually not supporting the feminist cause is how it changed a real story relating to an abusive alcoholic father into one about an alcoholic mother instead. Outraged, some fans of Zhang’s work see these kinds of seemingly trivial changes as an attack on Chinese women, going against the nature of Zhang’s lifework.
Although Chinese state media is promoting Beyond the Clouds through online platforms and news articles, the voices criticizing the adaptation will not be silenced. While official channels mostly emphasize how Zhang is a true communist, many of her fans mostly see her as a true feminist – and they vehemently resist any attempts to frame Zhang or her story within a patriarchal narrative.
What’s Noteworthy
Much Ado About Fried Eggs
Mao Anying, Chinese military officer and the son of Mao Zedong, died on November 25 in 1950. Every year, there are some sensitivities surrounding this date because of fried egg rice. One part of Mao Anying’s death that has become an ongoing, urban-legend-kind-of online story is that he supposedly disobeyed army rules and cooked egg fried rice at the Chinese headquarters in the North Korean battlefield. The smoke of the fire supposedly alerted the enemy and led to the bombing in which he would lose his life. The anniversary of Mao Anying’s death has therefore come to be mocked and celebrated by some netizens as “Egg Fried Rice Day” (蛋炒饭节) or “Chinese Thanksgiving” (中国感恩节), since it’s close to the American Thanksgiving.
A few years ago, the sensitive nature of this meme became clear when Chinese celebrity chef Wang Gang (王刚), with many social media followers, uploaded a video on how to prepare Yangzhou-style fried rice. As described by Dennis E. Yi (2020), the chef was accused of “humiliating China” due to the alleged – and perhaps unintentional – connection to Mao Anying.
This year, Wang Gang once again found himself apologizing for sharing an egg fried rice tutorial around the anniversary of Mao Anying’s death, sparking allegations of disrespect towards Mao Zedong’s son. As this marked the third instance of Wang Gang facing backlash over fried rice, he has now pledged to refrain from making egg fried rice in the future (“作为厨子，以后再也不做炒饭”). Relevant hashtag pages have since been removed from Weibo.
If you want to know more about a renewed focus on Mao Anying in Chinese online media, where official voices communicate why – and in which way – Mao Anying needs to be remembered by the Chinese people, do read this feature article we published in 2022.
What’s Popular
Why Shaoxing Opera is Popular Among Chinese Youth
Yue opera (越剧), also known as Shaoxing opera, is a Chinese opera genre that originated in Zhejiang Province and is particularly popular in Shanghai. Although Chinese opera is generally mostly loved by China’s older generations, new adaptations of classic plays or films featuring a fresh generation of opera performers have now also generated a buzz among China’s younger audiences.
Recently, it’s Yue opera New Dragon Gate Inn (新龙门客栈) that has gone viral, featuring six actresses (they also play the roles of men) of the Zhejiang Xiaobaihua (小百花) troupe. The play is actually an adaptation of the 1992 martial arts film. One actress in particular has become popular online for her cross-gender acting (女扮男装), namely Chen Lijun (陈丽君), who plays the role of Jia Ting. She joined the Xiaobaihua troupe in 2013, right after her graduation.
The online succes of this show (and other ones, including Butterfly Lovers 梁祝) and their performers has led to a run on opera tickets and has cultivated a new kind of theater audience. New Dragon Gate Inn is performed at the Butterfly studio theater in Hangzhou (杭州蝴蝶剧场) and uses immersive theater styles to break away from traditional forms of opera performance. If you want to grab a ticket, you’ll have to really try since you’ll join thousands of others who are eagerly waiting to attend one of the shows in real life.
What’s Memorable
One Year Since White Paper Protests
Exactly one year ago, news of protest movements popping up in various cities across China went buzzing around the internet. After enduring months of stringent Covid measures, students in Nanjing and Xi’an gathered around campus and held up blank paper sheets in protest of censorship. Their white papers said what could not be expressed, and so the movement was soon dubbed the “white paper protest” or the “A4 Revolution.”
Unrest and protests happened from Urumqi to Nanjing, from Beijing to Shanghai. People sang the ‘Farewell’ song (送别) to commemorate those who died in the tragic 11.24 Urumqi fire and who spent the last 100 days of their lives in lockdown. Online, people used various hashtags and posted clips of ‘Do you Hear the People Sing’ from Les Misérables.
But while news of the protests made global headlines, the terms “outside forces” or “external forces” (外部势力) increasingly popped up in Chinese social media discussions. Boosted by nationalistic bloggers, the idea that foreign forces were meddling in China’s affairs became more prevalent as a way to explain the sudden wave of protests . Read more in this newsletter’s pick from our archive below.
Weibo Word of the Week
“Subject Three” | Our Weibo Word of the Week is “Subject Three” (kē mù sān 科目三).
Recently, ‘Subject Three’ has become a buzzword on Chinese social media in connection with a viral dance, the Subject Three Dance (科目三舞蹈). From Douyin to Bilibili, the dance is super popular online and is performed by various people, from online influencers to virtual vloggers. The dance has become especially big since the renowned Chinese hotpot chain, Haidilao, allowed its staff to perform this viral dance for diners upon request, leading to amusing and occasionally awkward situations. On November 28, one customer even turned violent when he found the Subject Three performance at a local Huai’an restaurant too noisy and annoying.
The term ‘Subject Three’ allegedly first gained traction in 2022 or early 2023 following a video showcasing the jubilant atmosphere of a Guangxi wedding. Subsequently, ‘Guangxi Subject Three’ (广西科目三) became a popular reference, originating from a humorous joke. Although traditionally associated with the third part of a driver’s license exam, people playfully suggested that Guangxi locals undergo three significant “exams” in their lifetime: one for singing folk songs, one for mastering the art of slurping rice noodles, and the third for dancing (“广西人一生中会经历三场考试，科目一唱山歌，科目二嗦米粉，科目三跳舞”).
By now, the dance has transcended its original context of Guangxi weddings and Haidilao staff dances, as it’s turned into a true social media hype where people create and share videos of themselves and others performing the Subject Three Dance, which is characterized by playful and exaggerated movements accompanied by the background music of “江湖一笑” (Jianghu Smile), making it entertaining, humorous, and, most of all, meme-worthy.
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.
Newsletter
Weibo Watch: A New Chapter
About balloons, drone dragons, changes coming to What’s on Weibo, and much more.
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #42
This week’s newsletter:
◼︎ 1. Editor’s Note – A New Chapter
◼︎ 2. What’s New – A closer look at featured stories
◼︎ 3. What’s Trending – Hot highlights
◼︎ 4. What’s Noteworthy – A strange record
◼︎ 6. What’s Popular – Jackson Yee’s stellar performance
◼︎ 7. What’s Memorable – Looking back at the 10 most-read stories of 2024
Dear Reader,
From Hangzhou to Wuhan, the New Year in China was celebrated with the release of thousands of balloons at midnight in cities across the country. In Hangzhou alone, approximately 70,000 people attended the New Year countdown celebrations, with some bloggers estimating that street vendors sold at least 20,000 balloons in one night. In Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi province, thousands of people also released balloons in the city center, resulting in stunning crowd videos (see here).
While a sky filled with balloons makes for some spectacular images and footage, adding to the festive sphere, there are also worries about this contemporary ‘tradition.’
The Nanchang balloon moment at midnight.
The sight of tens of thousands of people gathering in city centers, such as in Nanchang, has triggered discussions about the dangers of unexpected incidents leading to panic, potentially causing stampedes like the tragic event in Shanghai a decade ago.
Beyond crowd safety, the release of thousands of balloons introduces another serious risk. Hydrogen-filled balloons (hydrogen is often illegally used in balloons because it’s cheaper than helium) are highly flammable, and contact with high-voltage lines or open flames can lead to explosions and hazardous situations. One such incident occurred in Xinyang on New Year’s Eve, when balloons exploded at the crowded entrance of a shopping mall (video). In Hangzhou, a 22-year-man was arrested at the scene for setting off fireworks in Hangzhou during the balloon release festivities, also causing local explosions.
And then, there are concerns about the environmental impact. The balloon release festivities in Hangzhou alone resulted in an estimated six tons of garbage being left behind, making the cleanup a massive and costly undertaking. While sanitation workers are mobilized to tackle the mess, many balloons end up caught in trees, tangled in bushes, or drifting so far that they’re beyond the reach of cleanup crews. The sheer amount of plastic waste left behind has sparked online discussions, with many questioning the environmental consequences of these celebrations.
So what’s the alternative?
This year, you might have seen a viral video of an impressive drone show supposedly held on the Bund in Shanghai, featuring a dragon formed by dozens of drones dancing in the night sky, crowned by a circle of fireworks. The video went viral across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X. Even Elon Musk liked the video, tweeting his “wow” comment: look how China celebrates the New Year!
The video, however, turned out to be fake. In fact, there was no show for New Year’s at the Bund at all.
The video creator combined elements from various other videos, including a drone light show featuring a majestic dragon that took place in Shenzhen on October 1st, marking the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (video).
The glowing circle in the sky was from a firework and AI show held in Liuyang, Hunan, on December 7, titled “Tears of the Gate of Heaven” (天空之门的眼泪). The falling lights symbolized tears from heaven and were designed by a local firework company boss to commemorate his late mother (video).
Upon further research, I found that the Liuyang show had inspired a series of edited videos, placing the Liuyang show highlight in different locations, with each version more spectacular than the last (see examples). As reported by Annielab, there are even online tutorials teaching netizens how to digitally insert the Liuyang ‘gate’ into different backgrounds with the Jianying (剪映, aka Capcut) editing app.
What began as an online meme (“I haven’t been to the Liuyang show, but I can bring it to my town”) eventually resulted in the viral video combining the Shenzhen and Liuyang shows against the backdrop of the Bund. For the quick scrollers, it apparently was so realistic that even Elon Musk thought it was genuine.
Stills from the fake drone dragon video.
The fake drone dragon New Year video is interesting for several reasons. It highlights how quickly fake news about China spreads across social media, with few questioning the authenticity of viral posts—even when they’re shared with millions of followers. We’ve seen this pattern before, with stories about the social credit system, a supposed Xi Jinping chatbot, and heavily edited cyberpunk-style Chongqing scenes.
These trends often repeat themselves, portraying China in extremes: either as a futuristic utopia or a dystopian threat. They go viral because they serve as clickbait, used by both hostile “anti-China” accounts and propaganda-heavy “pro-China” accounts to push their narratives—look how great China is or look how scary China is.
The dragon video, though fake, also underscores China’s role as a global tech power. Its components—real drone and AI shows in Liuyang, Shenzhen, and other cities—demonstrate just how advanced the technology has become, to the point where reality and fabrication are increasingly difficult to distinguish.
It’s just a video, but it points to something bigger: the lack of understanding about what is actually happening in China. Whether it’s about China’s digital space or society at large, most people don’t take the time—or simply don’t have the time—to look beyond the surface of fast-moving stories. This tendency risks amplifying misconceptions. Before you know it, you might retweet a fake dragon video, interpreting it as evidence of a powerful or intimidating China, without realizing it’s part of a broader grassroots trend that’s misunderstood—or missing the fact that, for now, far more balloons than drones still rise into the skies during New Year’s celebrations.
Before I wander off with the balloons, what’s the takeaway? As we step into 2025, with AI playing an ever-growing role on social media and global influencers shaping the news we consume—often with their own agendas—it’s more important than ever to examine the stories we amplify critically. Only by paying attention to the details can we truly understand the bigger picture.
Announcing some changes to What’s on Weibo
This brings me to an exciting new chapter for What’s on Weibo and how I see the future of the site. The China-focused global news environment has evolved significantly since I first started this platform. There’s now an increased focus in mainstream media on China’s social media trends, and niche China-related news has become accessible to many thanks to innovative tools at our fingertips. While there’s more information than ever, it’s also becoming increasingly chaotic and fleeting.
As a smaller, independent voice in this fast-paced and crowded media arena, I’m committed to offering you unique and meaningful insights into Chinese society and digital culture that you won’t find anywhere else. In this video, I’ll explain the changes coming to the site, introducing What’s on Weibo Chapters. In these turbulent, dragon-drone times, I hope you’ll appreciate this new chapter for What’s on Weibo.
Our first Chapter, of course, is “15 Years of Weibo,” reflecting on the platform’s evolution since its launch in 2009 and its role in China’s competitive social media ecosystem today. We’ll explore the most popular influencers on Weibo, go deeper into Weibo diplomacy aka ‘Weiplomacy’, and will feature a special contribution by an expert guest writer. More on that coming soon!
A shout-out to Miranda Barnes and Ruixin Zhang for helping select some of the topics for this newsletter, and a very special thanks to Wytse Koetse for filming and editing the What’s on Weibo Chapters video.
Stay tuned!
Warm greetings,
Manya Koetse
(@manyapan)
What’s New
Our picks | From ‘Chillax’ to ‘Digital Ibuprofen,’ this compilation of ten Chinese buzzwords and catchphrases by What’s on Weibo reflects social trends and the changing times in China in 2024.
What’s Trending
🏚️ Earthquake in Tibet
The devastating 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Shigatse’s Tingri County high on the Tibetan plateau on the morning of January 7th has already claimed the lives of at least 95 people and left over 130 injured. Approximately 6,900 people reside in the villages surrounding the earthquake’s epicenter. On Weibo, videos reveal the catastrophic impact of the earthquake, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.
Shigatse City’s Deputy Mayor Liu Huazhong (刘华忠) appeared visibly emotional as he announced the latest death toll and shared that 14 townships have been severely affected by the disaster. At the time of writing, the government has activated the highest-level emergency response for disaster relief, with hundreds of rescue workers deployed to the affected areas to provide medical assistance, conduct search and rescue operations, and distribute emergency supplies.
🤒 Peak Flu Season
It’s peak flu season, and it’s evident in the various trending topics circulating on Chinese social media. As discussions grow about crowded hospitals, face masks, and flu medication, concerns about the rapidly rising rates of influenza viruses have also emerged. Currently, according to monitoring data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 99% of flu cases in China are identified as the Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (“甲流”).
There have also been reports of an increase in flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV, 人偏肺病毒) infections in northern China, particularly among children under the age of 14. On social media, Chinese experts are largely addressing these concerns by emphasizing that HMPV is not the same as Covid-19, is less common compared to influenza and mycoplasma infections, and that the recent rise in HMPV cases is not unusual but rather reflects the typical higher prevalence of respiratory viruses during winter.
🏓 Chinese Table Tennis Superstars Withdraw from World Rankings
There has been a lot of buzz about the world of table tennis recently. After a tumultuous 2024 in which Chinese table tennis players shone at the Paris Olympics, super popular table tennis stars Fan Zhendong (樊振东) and Chen Meng (陈梦) announced on Weibo (post 1, post 2) their withdrawal from the World Rankings (WR) due to new fines imposed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) for players not participating in tournaments.
Fan wrote that the Paris Olympics had left him “mentally exhausted” and that the new rules imposing fines for not participating in tournaments left him no other choice but to withdraw entirely. He also said he would not retire yet and quoted the Wicked line, “It’s time to try defying gravity 💚.” That post received more than 2.8 million (!) likes. Likewise, Chen also wrote about the impact of Olympic stress and that she still needs time to recover.
The withdrawal of these major table tennis icons—veteran athlete Ma Long (马龙) later also announced his withdrawal—has ignited discussions and criticism over WTT’s mandatory participation rule and whether it merely serves commercial interests instead of protecting athletes. Liu Guoliang (刘国梁), president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), said he would press World Table Tennis to revise its rules.
🏛️ Verdict in Handan Schoolboy Murder Case
A case in which a young boy from Feixiang County in Handan, Hebei, was murdered by three classmates shocked the nation in March 2024. The young boy, Wang Ziyao (王子耀), had suffered years of bullying before his three classmates, all 13 years old, killed and buried him. Wang had been missing for one day before his body was discovered buried in a greenhouse in a field near the home of one of the suspects. The case attracted major attention at the time, not just because of the cruel crime, but also due to its legal implications. Since an amendment to China’s Criminal Law in 2021, children between the ages of 12 and 14 can be held criminally responsible for extreme and cruel cases resulting in death or severe disability, if approved for prosecution by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP).
Now, the court verdict has been reported by Chinese media. Two of the male defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, while the third defendant was not legally punished due to his minor role in the crime but was still placed under “special correctional education.” The verdict has triggered discussions on its implications and how it should now be clear to minors aged 12 and above, and their parents, that they cannot escape severe punishment for extreme crimes.
🎬 Li Mingde’s Livestream Permanently Banned
The young Chinese actor Li Mingde (李明德), also known as Marcus Li, has been the center of attention on Chinese social media recently due to the drama surrounding the production of the Chinese TV series The Triple Echo of Time (三人行). In a Weibo post published on the night of January 4, Li, a supporting actor in the series, accused co-star Ma Tianyu (马天宇), the male lead, of displaying diva behavior on set. He also complained about the harsh filming conditions, alleging that he was made to wait in freezing temperatures wearing nothing but a t-shirt.
The production team has since issued a statement denying Li’s claims and turned the tables, accusing Li of being unreasonable, negative, and frequently late or leaving early during filming. They also confirmed that they had officially terminated their collaboration with him.
Adding to the controversy, Li Mingde’s livestream channel was suddenly shut down on January 7, with Douyin permanently banning his account. The platform cited “deliberately stirring controversy to attract attention” as the reason for the ban, sparking widespread discussion online. Li, who has over 7.6 million followers on Weibo, continues to post updates at the time of writing. After Ma Tianyu suggested in a now-deleted post that Li might be suffering from a mental illness, Li refuted the claim and stated he plans to take legal action. It seems this drama is far from over.
What’s Noteworthy
Did you know that the final Guinness World Record of 2024 was set by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com? Honestly, the record is so unusual that I initially struggled to understand what the achievement was: JD.com now holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s “largest object unveiled” in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, on December 29, 2024—a staggering 400.66 meters long.
Is it a rocket? A train? A cruise ship?
No, it’s actually a list of 173,583 authentic user comments—a 400-meter-long comment section reviewing the platform’s major home appliance products. JD.com, one of the leading players in China’s home goods and household appliances market, seems to have orchestrated this extravagant marketing stunt to emphasize its position as a trustworthy market leader with an alleged 98% satisfaction rate.
The 400+ meter list, via Digitaling.
As an online retailer, printing reviews and displaying them in an offline setting where virtually no one but Guinness World Records takes notice does seem wasteful. But here we are, talking about it—along with a trending hashtag (#24年最后一个吉尼斯纪录是京东的#), so I suppose the PR effort paid off.
What’s Popular
After the 2024 success of Her Story(好东西) directed by Shao Yihui (邵艺辉) YOLO (麻辣滚烫) by Jia Ling (贾玲), Like A Rolling Stone (出走的决心) by Yin Lichuan (尹丽川), we are now seeing another hit film by a female director, highlighting the growing prominence of female directors in Chinese cinema.
The hashtag for the new movie Little Me (小小的我) has received over a billion views on Weibo this week (#电影小小的我#), noting its popularity. The movie was directed by Yang Lina (杨荔钠), the female director also known for her film Song of Spring (妈妈), which tells the moving story of an 85-year-old mother caring for her 65-year-old daughter with Alzheimer’s disease.
Little Me again touches on profound themes as it tells the story of a young man suffering from cerebral palsy who nevertheless tries to find his own direction in life. The role is played by Jackson Yee (易烊千玺), the superstar with an enormous fanbase on social media. Although he is still known as the youngest member of the boyband TFboys, Yee has gone far beyond that and shows his talent and dedication as an actor in this film with a credible performance.
Although Jackson Yee’s standout performance in Little Me is praised across social media, some have also commented that the actor might be too good for the film. Qilu Evening News published a sharp movie review, noting that Yee’s performance creates a stark divide between his brilliance and the film’s otherwise mediocre quality. This disparity has led some viewers to comment that Little Me is “a dumpling made just for the vinegar” (“为了一碟醋包了一顿饺子”). Despite this criticism, the film is still scoring a 7.2 on the Douban platform, where it has been rated by over 164,000 people.
What’s Memorable
As we’re entering the second week of 2025, I’d still like to take this time to look back look back at 10 of the most popular stories on
What’s On Weibo of 2024 for this week’s archive lookback. From viral trends to shocking incidents, it was a tumultuous year with some moments that’ll be ingrained in China’s collective digital memory. 🧵👇
1️⃣🐱 When ‘Fat Cat’ Jumped into the Yangtze River | He invested all he had for a girl he’d met online. Then she broke up with him. The tragic story behind the suicide of a 21-year-old Chinese gamer nicknamed ‘Fat Cat’ (胖猫) became a major topic of discussion on Chinese social media in May of 2024, touching upon broader societal issues from unfair gender dynamics to businesses taking advantage of grieving internet users.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/the-tragic-story-of-fat-cat-how-a-chinese-gamers-suicide-went-viral/
2️⃣✨ Chengdu Disney | How did a common park in Chengdu turn into a hotspot that got everyone talking? By mixing online trends with real-life fun, blending foreign styles with local charm, and adding humor and absurdity, Chengdu had the recipe for its very own ‘Chengdu Disney’ in 2024. Undeniably, the quirkiest trend of the year.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/chengdu-disney-the-quirkiest-hotspot-in-china/
3️⃣💧 Nongfu and Nationalists | One of the most noteworthy online phenomena in China during 2024 was the big battle over bottled water after the death of Zong Qinghou (宗庆后), the founder and chairman of Wahaha Group (娃哈哈集团), the country’s largest beverage produce. What started as a support campaign for Wahaha morphed into a crusade against another major water brand, Nongfu Spring, led by online nationalists.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/in-hot-water-the-nongfu-spring-controversy-explained/
4️⃣🔪 Beishan Park Stabbings | 2024 was, unfortunately, a year of many deadly mass attacks by individuals ‘taking revenge on society,’ from Zhuhai to Changde. One such incident that made headlines around the world was the June 10 stabbing at Beishan Park in Jilin, which left four American teachers injured, among others. While the story spread widely on X, it was initially kept under wraps on the Chinese internet. This article analyzes how the incident was reported, censored, and discussed on Weibo.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/the-beishan-park-stabbings-how-the-story-unfolded-and-was-censored-on-weibo/
5️⃣🥇 Golden Olympics | The 2024 Paris Olympics were the talk of Chinese social media. Beyond the gold medal moments, there were plenty of happenings on the sidelines, at the venues, and on the award stage that went viral, sparking countless memes. From China’s cutest weightlifter to viral sensation Quan Hongchan, this top 10 list of meme-worthy moments was a favorite among readers.
🔗
Team China’s 10 Most Meme-Worthy Moments at the 2024 Paris Olympics
6️⃣🚗 Land Rover Woman | In 2024, ‘Land Rover Woman’ (路虎女) became the latest addition to the Chinese Lexicon of Viral Incidents. A female Land Rover driver sparked outrage among Chinese netizens with her entitled behavior, driving against traffic and reacting aggressively when confronted—even striking a Chinese veteran in the face. The incident highlighted widespread frustration with social class injustice, as many viewed it as reflecting existing power imbalances between the wealthy and the working-class.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/weibo-watch-the-land-rover-woman-controversy-explained/
7️⃣🧮 Controversial Math Genius Jiang Ping | It’s rare for a math competition to become the focus of nationwide attention in China. But when 17-year-old vocational school student Jiang Ping made it to the top 12 of Alibaba’s Global Math Competition, competing against contestants from prestigious universities worldwide, her humble background and outstanding achievement sparked debates and triggered rumors. She was called China’s version of Good Will Hunting, but her math story had a disappointing ending.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/chinas-controversial-math-genius-jiang-ping/
8️⃣🇺🇸 Trump’s Triumph |The assassination attempt on former US President (now President-elect) Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign event in July 2024 became a major topic on Chinese social media. Trump’s swift reaction and defiant gesture after the shooting not only sparked widespread discussions but also fueled the “Comrade Trump” meme machine.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/a-triumph-for-comrade-trump-chinese-social-media-reactions-to-trump-rally-shooting/
9️⃣📚 Crusade against Smut | A recent crackdown on Chinese authors writing erotic web novels sparked increased online discussions about the Haitang Literature ‘Flower Market’ subculture, the challenges faced by prominent online smut writers, and the evolving regulations surrounding digital erotica in China. But how serious is the “crime” of writing explicit fiction in China today? Ruixin Zhang explored this topic in an insightful and widely-read article, with a sad update.
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/the-price-of-writing-smut-inside-chinas-crackdown-on-erotic-fiction/
🔟🚴♂️ Cycling to Kaifeng | The term ‘yè qí‘ (夜骑), meaning “night ride,” suddenly became a buzzword on Chinese social media in late fall of 2024, as large groups of students from various schools and universities in Zhengzhou started cycling en masse to the neighboring city of Kaifeng on shared bicycles in the middle of the night. From city marketing to the spirit of China’s new generation, there are many themes behind their nightly cycling caravan, explained in this article, which also became one of the best-read pieces on What’s on Weibo this year:
🔗
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/the-cycling-to-kaifeng-trend-how-it-started-how-its-going/
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Newsletter
Weibo Watch: Christmas in China Is Everywhere and Nowhere
Christmas is an interesting time in China: here are some must-knows about this merry and military time of the year.
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #41
This week’s newsletter:
◼︎ 1. Editor’s Note – Christmas in China: everywhere and nowhere
◼︎ 2. What’s New and Noteworthy – A closer look at featured stories
◼︎ 3. What’s Trending – Hot highlights
◼︎ 4. What’s Noteworthy – ‘It’s My Party’ book launch
◼︎ 6. What’s Popular – Goodbye, my lover
◼︎ 7. What’s Memorable – Santa Bao
◼︎ 8. Weibo Word of the Week – Scaring myself
Dear Reader,
Even before December arrived, malls, shops, and hotel lobbies across Chinese cities were already busy putting up Christmas decorations, ensuring that Christmas trees, snowmen, and reindeer would spread joy and festive season vibes.
Christmas seems to be everywhere in China-but nowhere at the same time. Throughout the years, Christmas has become more popular in China, but as a predominantly atheist country with a small proportion of Christians, the festival is far more about the commercial aspects of the holiday season—including shopping, promotions, decorations, and entertainment—than it is about the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christmas in China is generally perceived as a “foreign” or “Western” festival, and there have been ongoing concerns and social media discussions about whether the festivities associated with Christmas clash with traditional Chinese culture.
These dynamics make it clear that Christmas is an interesting time in China, so I’ll take this occasion to highlight some must-knows about Christmas in China.
1: In China, It’s Not Merry Christmas, but Military Christmas
Now that Christmas time is here, a different kind of message is emerging on Chinese social media, countering the festive spirit. Some recurring comments include:
•”It’s not Santa Claus who brings you a silent night—it’s Chinese soldiers! Salute to them!” (“给你带来平安的不是圣诞老人，而是中国军人! 致敬!”)
•”December 24 isn’t Silent Night; it’s the night of victory at the Chosin Reservoir.” (“12月24日不是平安夜，是长津湖战役胜利之夜。”)
•”China doesn’t celebrate Christmas! On our ‘Silent Night,’ we wrapped the U.S. military like dumplings!” (“中国人不过圣诞节！中国人的平安夜，包美军的饺子。”)
These statements reflect China’s complicated relationship with Christmas. Especially in recent years, Chinese state media and influential social media accounts have been promoting an alternative Christmas narrative, emphasizing that the peace and safety enjoyed in China today is not thanks to a Western “Father Christmas,” but rather the sacrifices and strength of China’s military forces.
The main argument propagated is that this time of year in China should not focus on Christmas or Santa Claus, but instead on commemorating the end of the Korean War and honoring the country’s soldiers.
In the context of the Korean War (1950-1953), December 24 marks the conclusion of the Second Phase Offensive (1950), which was launched by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army against the United Nations Command forces–primarily U.S. and South Korean troops. The Chinese divisions’ surprise attack countered the ‘Home-by-Christmas’ campaign. This name stemmed from the UN forces’ belief that they would soon prevail, end the conflict, and be home well in time to celebrate Christmas. Instead, they were forced into retreat and the Chinese reclaimed most of North Korea by December 24, 1950.
Especially in recent years and in light of the launch of success of the blockbuster movie Battle at Lake Changjin and its sequel, there has been increased attention on the Chinese offensive at Chosin Reservoir. This battle has been framed as a decisive and glorious victory, turning the tide of the Korean War and reinforcing the military strength of the People’s Republic of China as a new global force to be reckoned with.
Various online posters posted on Weibo by various channels, reinforcing the message that China’s ‘Christmas’ should be about remembering the victory at the Chosin Reservoir.
This growing official narrative highlights the importance of this military history for Chinese national identity, offering a stark contrast to the traditionally Western themes of December 24. It underscores the message that this time in China should be about honoring the military, not celebrating imported festivities.
2: When Mao Canceled Christmas
A true communist wouldn’t celebrate Christmas, would they? To solve China’s ‘Christmas problem,’ all Christmas celebrations were canceled during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) under Mao Zedong as part of the fight against foreign influence and the complete abolishment of all religion and religious customs.
As described in Gerry Bowler’s book Christmas in the Crosshairs (2017), after Mao’s death in 1976 and the subsequent economic reforms under Deng Xiaoping, attitudes changed. A new consumer culture emerged and China began to open up to global influences, which included Western holidays like Christmas.
As Christmas slowly gained popularity in China, it took on a primarily secular and commercial identity. It first found its way into society in larger cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing, as businesses began incorporating a commercial Christmas theme into their winter promotions and activities. Foreign communities in China also contributed to the holiday’s visibility by organizing parties and events.
Foreign chains like Pizza Hut and Starbucks further added to the festive season. Many restaurants in larger cities began offering Christmas-themed menus featuring foods like cheese, baked bread, and chocolate. It soon became a tradition to see Christmas trees, Santa, and his reindeer at malls and shops.
Christmas in China is commercial and non-religious: shopping, food, and entertainment. Images posted on Weibo and Xiaohongshu.
But not everyone is happy about the growing popularity of this foreign holiday. Over the past ten to fifteen years, resistance to the further popularization of Christmas in China has increased.
For example, in December 2015, a group of Hunan high school students dressed in traditional Chinese clothing (hanfu) protested by holding red placards reading, “Boycott Christmas—don’t celebrate foreign festivals.”
In 2017, the city of Hengyang stirred controversy by ordering government officials and their families not to celebrate Christmas, calling it “spiritual opium.” Local authorities further warned Party members and officials they would face heavy fines for making or selling artificial snow.
At the time, Chinese state media suggested that although this was a local policy, it was part of a wider campaign against Christmas as people in other cities, including students and workers, had received a similar notices. Several media reported that some universities across China, including one in Shenyang, banned their students from celebrating Christmas.
This year, similar stories are emerging. One company in Dongying, Shandong, issued a notice this week strictly prohibiting employees from participating in Christmas-related activities. The notice reportedly stated that Christmas decorations were not allowed and that employees should not share any content related to “foreign holidays” on their social media (#山东一公司禁止员工过圣诞节#).
In this way, it seems that Mao’s ban on Christmas still resonates nearly five decades later.
3: China as the World’s Christmas Factory
There is some irony in the efforts to replace Christmas narratives with stories of China’s military victories, or in the broader resistance to the presence of Christmas in China—both in its religious and commercial forms.
Why? Because China, in fact, is the home of Christmas as we know it today. Whether it’s the decorations on your tree, the toys underneath it, or the stockings by the fireplace, chances are they’re all “Made in China.”
In the Organizing Christmas (2024), author Philip Hancock highlights China’s critical role in the global Christmas economy. In particular, the town of Yiwu, in eastern Zhejiang Province, produces about 60% of the world’s Christmas decorations. It’s essentially Santa’s workshop brought to life.
With Christmas being serious business for around 600 local factories operating year-round, Yiwu has become known as the “Christmas Capital of the World.” While countries with Christian traditions focus on the spiritual aspects of the holiday, China handles the industrial and logistical side of Christmas.
Hancock also notes that beyond China’s position as the preeminent global manufacturer and exporter of Christmas-related goods and ornaments, the festival has gained increasing entertainment appeal among Chinese consumers.
In an effort to capitalize on the popularity of Finland’s Santa Park among Chinese tourists, the city of Chengdu once planned to build the world’s largest Santa-themed park—a 13-square-kilometer attraction dedicated to Santa Claus and his workshops. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, the plans were never realized. Still, as Hancock concludes, “the very fact that the project came so far attests to the popularity of Christmas in the country.”
Christmas may officially have no place in China, but in reality, it’s everywhere.
Lastly, in case you’re wondering: is it okay to sing Jingle Bells in China? Yes—but you might want to tweak the lyrics:
“Jī gōng bāo, jī gōng bāo, jīng guò wǒ de wèi”
(鸡公煲，鸡公煲，经过我的胃)
(“Chicken hot pot, chicken hot pot, passing through my stomach.”)
Sing it out loud and you’ll find it fits the tune perfectly and captures the fun (food-loving) spirit of Chinese Christmas! 😂
For those celebrating, I wish you a Merry Christmas. And for everyone, I hope these winter days bring you warmth and joy.🎄✨🌟🎄
I would like to thank Miranda Barnes and Ruixin Zhang for their contributions to this newsletter.
Warm greetings,
Manya Koetse
(@manyapan)
What’s New
The Disappearance of an MA Graduate | In this article, we explore the story that recently took Chinese social media by storm: the case of Ms. Bu, a once-promising Master’s graduate in Engineering, who was missing for 13.5 years. Her unexpected return brought an end to her family’s long and painful search but sparked the beginning of an online movement. Chinese netizens are not only demanding answers about how she could have remained missing for so long but are also seeking clarity regarding the puzzling inconsistencies in her story. Read on:
Her name is Bu Xiaohua | In this article, we delve deeper into the remarkable story Ms. Bu Xiaohua. Her case is more than just a mystery—it exposes systemic failures and sheds light on the vulnerabilities faced by women in rural China. Read more to unpack the key aspects of her story.
HPV case silenced | This case, also a major topic recently, has some connections to the Bu Xiaohua story. A 12-year-old girl from Shandong was diagnosed with HPV at a local hospital. When a doctor attempted to report the case, she faced resistance. Weibo users are now criticizing how the incident was handled.
What’s Trending
💥 What to Know about the Shenzhen Bay Explosion
The devastating explosion that occurred in a residential building in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District on December 11 has become a major topic of discussion on Chinese social media this month. The incident took place just after 14:30 on the 28th floor of Building 1 of Shenzhen Bay Yuefu Phase II (深圳湾悦府二期), affecting multiple surrounding floors. Shortly after the explosion and subsequent fire, videos and images of the scene began flooding Weibo. Some were particularly harrowing—one video showed a woman sitting on the window frame with flames raging behind her. Tragically, she fell to her death. By late afternoon, the fire was fully extinguished. The explosion is suspected to have been caused by a gas leak, as some neighbors reported smelling gas prior to the incident.
Much of the online discussion surrounding the explosion has focused on the lack of safety measures and the inadequate enforcement of fire safety regulations during construction. The fire occurred in a building located in an affluent area, known for its luxury apartments with sky-high prices—some of the larger units reportedly sold for over 59 million yuan (more than $8 million USD). Moreover, the building is relatively new, having been completed between 2015 and 2018. If such a high-end residential complex is not safe, then what is?
The company behind the construction, Huarun Real Estate Management Company (华润物业公司), stated that they would fully cooperate with relevant government departments to handle the aftermath, provide assistance and care to the affected residents, and “overcome the difficulties together with them” (#华润物业回应深圳高层爆炸事故#). “It’s all a bunch of nonsense!” one netizen responded.
🛂 China Further Relaxing Visa Policies
China is further relaxing its visa-free policies. Last Tuesday, official channels announced that eligible foreign travelers from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, who transit through China en route to a third country or region are now allowed to stay in China allowed stay in China for up to 240 hours, or 10 days, instead of the previous 72 to 144 hours.
The move, intended to attract more international visitors, took effect immediately. China has continuously optimized its transit visa exemption policies since it first opened its doors to foreign travelers after its stringent Covid policies. Now, China has unilaterally exempted visa requirements for travelers from 38 countries, and they recently extended the visa-free stay duration from the current 15 days to 30 days, to remain in effect until December 31, 2025.
🗣️ Trump All Over
He hasn’t even moved into the White House yet, but Trump is already a trending topic on Weibo these days. Whether it’s about him saying he has “a warm spot for TikTok” after being asked about the potential ban on the app, claiming that “China and the United States can together solve all the problems of the world,” smilingly telling an audience that Musk will never become president, reigniting the debate over Greenland, or vowing that the US will only recognize two genders (#特朗普承诺美国将只承认两种性别#), Trump has once again become a favorite topic on Chinese social media. It almost feels like we’re back in 2016.
Although Trump is a laughingstock for some netizens, I’ve also noticed waves of support for him on Weibo, with some calling him “clear-headed,” “savage,” and praising his ability to always make a “surprising” move.
📚 Smut Writer Update
We wanted to provide some updates about the erotic content writers we discussed previously (read here), as their final sentencing results were announced recently.
One of the authors convicted is Yunjian (云间), one of the more prominent writers of these sexually explicit web novels. As reported by Lianhe Zaobao, she was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison for profiting from illegal activities. Some authors who were unable to gather funds to return illicit gains faced even longer sentences. On Weibo, some people are outraged over the severity of the punishment, especially since Yunjian reportedly earned no more than 2 million RMB (~$275,000) over several years of publishing. However, there are also some who defend the state’s crackdown on online “obscenities,” arguing that distributing such explicit content is a serious crime.
One commenter on Weibo wrote:
“I don’t want to describe works filled with hope as ‘obscene materials’ (淫秽物品). I don’t want to define the hard-earned income from creative efforts as ‘illegal earnings’ (赃款). I don’t want to reduce the warm and joyful exchanges between readers and authors to the act of ‘distributing obscene materials’ (传播淫秽物品). This is the most degrading and evil form of humiliation.”
🇺🇸 New York Subway Incident
The shocking incident of the woman going up in flames in the New York subway while people passed by is being widely discussed on Weibo (#美国一男子在地铁把一女子点燃#, #纽约地铁一男子在睡觉女子身上纵火#, #美国男子向地铁车厢睡觉女子纵火#). Noteworthy enough, some of the top comments on the incident are more about (foreign) perceptions of China than about the US: “(…) If this happened in China, it would trend for a week,” “This level of apathy is truly terrifying,” and “If something like this happened in China, it would be criticized from multiple angles: the lack of subway security checks, gender issues, and the apathy of bystanders.”
In the past, there have been many incidents in China where horrific things happened without people stepping in—such as the 2011 Foshan toddler incident—leading to widespread reflection, especially in foreign media, on how China’s socio-cultural and historical circumstances contributed to such incredible social apathy. The New York incident, sadly, shows that the ‘bystander problem’ is universal. Perhaps this will become New York’s “Foshan moment,” reflecting on how society has gone this far, this cold.
What’s Noteworthy
Earlier this month, I attended the celebration for the publication of the book It’s My Party: Tat Ming Pair and the Postcolonial Politics of Popular Music in Hong Kong by Yiu Fai Chow, Jeroen de Kloet, and Leonie Schmidt. I’d like to share it with you because it offers a fascinating account of the legendary Cantopop electronic duo Tat Ming Pair (達明一派), one of the most influential and groundbreaking bands in Hong Kong’s 1980s music scene.
Over the past decade, the politically engaged duo—Anthony Wong Yiu Ming and Tats Lau Yee Tat—have faced increasing suppression of dissent in Hong Kong under Beijing’s growing influence. Anthony Wong, in particular, has been a vocal supporter of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movements and an advocate for LGBTQ rights. His song “Memory Is a Crime,” commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, exemplifies his commitment to challenging government suppression. However, spaces for critical voices in Hong Kong have been steadily shrinking. In 2019, all of Tat Ming Pair’s music was removed from Apple Music and other streaming platforms in mainland China. By January 2022, they were blacklisted by Hong Kong’s government-funded broadcaster RTHK, and their name is now censored on platforms like Weibo.
The book situates their music within the historical context of Hong Kong’s transition from British to Chinese rule, exploring how popular music can serve as a medium for cultural memory, resistance, and community building during times of political upheaval. While the hard copy of the book is priced at EUR 109.99, the digital version is available for free download via Springer here.
What’s Popular
Are you familiar yet with See You Again (再见爱人, literally: “Goodbye, Lover”)? It’s the Chinese reality show that EVERYBODY is talking about right now—each episode is sparking massive online discussions. If you’re looking for something to binge-watch this Christmas holiday, it’s available on YouTube with English subtitles (see link below).
Now in its fourth season, the show is produced by Mango TV (芒果TV) and follows three celebrity couples who are teetering on the edge of divorce. Through the course of the show, they attempt to reconcile with their partners by embarking on an 18-day journey—both figuratively, through honest discussions, and literally, by RV travel. Interestingly, the creators of the show drew inspiration from the movie Nomadland.
During this journey, the couples confront the issues that have been haunting their relationships, giving viewers a glimpse into their personal struggles. For instance, Liu Jishou (留几手) and Ge Xi (葛夕) candidly discussed their three-year lack of intimacy, a topic that quickly became a trending topic online.
Beyond the couples’ emotional trials and tribulations, this season has also caught viewers’ attention for the impeccable fashion choices displayed in the “observation room.” Panelists like Papi Jiang (Papi酱) and Pattie Hou (侯佩岑) have stood out for their simple yet chic and practical styles, providing plenty of inspiration for everyday wear. Their outfits have also become a goldmine for Taobao sellers, who are now promoting accessories like earrings and hats “similar to what’s worn in See You Again.”
What’s Memorable
Let’s remember how on Christmas Day 2018, Sina Weibo introduced a new festive emoticon based on Lei Bao (雷豹), the iconic character from the 1990s comedy film Hail the Judge (九品芝麻官). Played by actor Xu Jinjiang (徐锦江), Lei Bao’s red costume, white beard, and bushy eyebrows bear a resemblance to Santa Claus.
Weibo Word of the Week
I Scare Myself | Our Weibo phrase of the week is 自己吓自己 (zì jǐ xià zì jǐ), which translates to ‘scaring oneself.’
This popular catchphrase originates from a line in the recently released animated film The Mermaid’s Summer (美人鱼的夏天). The movie tells the story of Xiao Ai, a mermaid who transforms into a human and embarks on a series of misadventures far more challenging than she ever imagined.
Created by independent filmmaker Shen Xiaoyang (沈晓阳) from Xiamen, the film took over seven years to complete. Its first trailer debuted online in 2022, and the film premiered last month.
Despite the extended production time and a marketing campaign that built up expectations, public reception was underwhelming at best. The movie faced widespread ridicule for its awkward pacing and peculiar voice acting. Some critics went so far as to call it the “biggest joke in domestic animation of the year.”
The phrase 自己吓自己 (zì jǐ xià zì jǐ) comes from an unintentionally comedic scene in the movie. In the scene, Xiao Ai walks by the water when a sudden gust of wind causes her to sense danger coming from nearby bushes. She nervously brushes it off, saying the now-iconic line, “啊呵呵呵自己吓自己” (“Ah-hehe~ hehe~ scaring myself”) in a lifeless tone—only to be ambushed moments later and thrown into the river by a mysterious man in black.
This moment became an instant hit on platforms like Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili and catapulted the phrase into meme territory as a moment of abract humor, inspiring countless parodies and spin-offs. Even well-known influencers, such as the “City Bu City” guy Paul Mike Ashton, reenacted the scene on social media. To date, there are hundreds of reinterpretations, including dialect versions, pet reenactments, and everyday life parodies.
Parodies on Xiaohongshu.
‘I scared myself’ has gone beyond the animated movie scene, it’s now a funnily ‘non-dramatic dramatic’ way to react to unexpected events in your surroundings.
Amid the criticism surrounding the film, Shen Xiaoyang has reportedly withdrawn from all social media platforms. However, there’s a silver lining: the viral fame of the phrase has brought the flopped film renewed attention and modest box office gains.
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