Newsletter
Weibo Watch: An Explosive Situation
It’s been an explosive week on Chinese social media. Since Tuesday, when Japan formally announced its decision to start releasing waste water from Fukushima, related topics have been dominating Chinese social media platforms.
Published
2 years agoon

PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #12
This week’s newsletter:
◼︎ 1. Editor’s Note – A toxic mix of factors
◼︎ 2. What’s Trending – A closer look at the featured stories
◼︎ 3. What More to Know – Highlighting 8 hot topics
◼︎ 4. What Lies Behind – Report on anti-Black racism in China
◼︎ 5. What’s Noteworthy – Yellen’s magic mushrooms
◼︎ 6. What’s Popular – China’s “Lord of the Rings”
◼︎ 7. What’s Memorable – Anti-Japanese riots
◼︎ 8. Weibo Word of the Week – “Harvesting chives”
Featured header contains work by Weibo creator “A Boy Who Loves to Learn” @一个热爱学习的男孩, and by Toutiao writer “It’s Not That Complicated” @局势很简单
Dear Reader,
It’s been an explosive week on Chinese social media. Since Tuesday, when Japan formally announced its decision to start releasing waste water from Fukushima into the Pacific, related topics have been dominating Chinese social media platforms.
It’s not that often that you see such huge topics on Chinese social media, swelling like a tidal wave, sweeping through threads, comments, and spanning various sectors of society — engaging state media, businesses, influencers, celebrities, and the public.
Grocery stores experienced an influx of people stockpiling salt, with some even reselling it. Individuals queued for hours to purchase a bag of salt, and some headed to salt manufacturers for bulk purchases.
This salt frenzy stems from collective concerns about the impact of Fukushima water on food safety. Despite an existing ban on Japanese seafood, there’s unease that salt – in the near future and in the decades to come – might also become compromised due to radiation fears. There’s also a believe that salt might help in case of radiation pollution (iodized salt, however, is actually no antidote for radiation).
Some China-based Japanese restaurants made headlines for removing their Japanese decorations, advertising with their “international” cuisine – Our salmon’s from Norway! The sea urchin’s from Russia! -, or just openly telling customers they’re really not Japanese. One popular Weibo post joked that “the Japanese restaurant downstairs has finally admitted they’re not really Japanese.”
The ripple effect included consumers boycotting Japanese beauty products. On e-commerce platforms, tearful fish sellers faced worries about their business future due to contamination fears.
In the English-language social media sphere, critics dismissed the panic as unwarranted, stressing that the disposal is well within safety limits, and the environmental impact on seafood is negligible. “All of this consternation, just because of some low levels of tritium?” some asked.
Well yes.
But when you mix that with collective memories of war and humiliation, profound anti-Japanese sentiments in a deeply cyber-nationalistic environment, a media landscape where state reports on the hazards of Fukushima water amplify existing eco-anxieties, skepticism toward the G7, and a society where official narratives aren’t always trusted and individuals take their own safety precautions..
..you witness a rather explosive scenario, culminating in public unease, panic buying, and social media overflowing with hostile comments targeting Japan.
This weekend, there are many state-led hashtags trying to calm the storm, reassuring the public about salt abundance, managing over-anxiety, and ensuring the safety of domestic fish consumption. Ultimately, the anti-Japanese demonstrations of 2012 have shown the potential impact of online sentiments on real-life situations. As a precaution, the Japanese Embassy in Beijing has cautioned Japanese citizens against speaking Japanese too loudly in public and remaining vigilant. In the end, no party desires online unrest to escalate into physical violence – neither Chinese authorities, Japanese residents in China, business owners, nor everyday individuals who might be affected by such outbursts because of the clothes they wear, the car they drive, or the shop they work at.
This is our 12th ‘Weibo Watch’ newsletter, and I hope you’re enjoying the format and finding it helpful for catching up on key trends in China’s online media scene, alongside our regular website content. We’ve been tweaking the delivery schedule—weekly or every other week—and given the considerable research and effort that go into our articles (especially since I’m still primarily managing What’s on Weibo on my own), I’ve determined that it would work best to send you a more comprehensive newsletter every two weeks, coupled with a quick update on our latest articles every week.
We’ve launched our soft paywall ten months ago and while we’ve made strides (thanks to you!), we still need more subscribers to sustain our operations. If you appreciate what we do, please recommend What’s on Weibo to friends/colleagues. Your input and personal messages have been incredibly valuable, adding to our discussions on Chinese (social) media developments and improvement of the platform – so I’m super grateful for your engagement.
Miranda Barnes, who has a keen eye for the latest trends, and Zilan Qian, who’s been writing about insightful topics all summer, have contributed to this week’s newsletter.
Best,
Manya (@manyapan)
What’s Trending
1: Top Trends Surrounding Fukushima Water | There have been furious responses from Chinese media and netizens after Japan started releasing Fukushima water into the ocean: “The entire world will remember what the Japanese government did this day.” Over the past few days, at least five out of the top ten trending topics on Baidu’s hot news lists and the Weibo platform are linked to the discharge from the nuclear plant and its potential direct and indirect consequences. We explain the top 5 biggest hashtags on Chinese social media, and what’s behind them.
2:The Voice of Coco Lee | Another explosive topic this week is the scandal surrounding The Voice of China, also called Sing! China. A leaked audio recording of the late superstar Coco Lee discussing her negative experiences with the Chinese talent show became the no 1 searched topic on Weibo earlier this week. The accusations against the popular show have shaken up China’s entertainment circles and the online condemnation of ethical standards in the industry also has offline consequences.
3: Empty Hall, Full Buzz | A local Sichuan Bureau of Civil Affairs, where couples register and obtain their marriage certificate, launched a livestream to celebrate the marriage registration ceremony for new couples on August 22, marking the occasion of the Qixi Festival, often referred to as the Chinese equivalent of Valentine’s Day. The celebratory livestream gained immense traction on Chinese social media, albeit for all the unintended reasons. Instead of a much-anticipated marriage boom (结婚潮), online viewers saw an awkward empty ceremony stage.
4: Two Blazes, Same Day | It was a noteworthy Tuesday in Tianjin this week. After a major fire broke out in the Xintiandi high-rise office building, Tianjin residents soon found out that another blaze was occurring not far away, causing the plumes of smoke from both incidents to be visible from multiple locations. These successive fires stirred a certain level of unease, further fueled by online rumors falsely suggesting a third fire was in progress. Although there are not many news reports on what exactly happened, the local fire brigade reported no casualties.
What More to Know

“There’s something wrong with this water” meme.
◼︎ 1. China Responds to Japan’s Fukushima Water Disposal. The biggest topic of the week is, without a doubt, the Chinese response to Japan’s Fukushima water disposal and the anti-Japanese sentiments that have surfaced in online discussions along with a general public unrest. The first related trending topics already started on Tuesday when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that, despite existing regional worries and opposition, they would begin releasing water from the ruined Fukushima nuclear plant on August 24. Although the move meets the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, China strongly opposes it. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded that ‘relevant departments’ in China would take necessary measures to ensure food safety. China already has tight import controls on Japanese food and has now taken extra measures to ban Japanese aquatic products. (Hashtag: “China Responds to Japan’s Formal Decision to Start Discharging [Water] Into the Sea #中方回应日本正式决定启动排海#, 320 million views).
◼︎ 2. BRICS Summit. The 2023 BRICS Summit (Aug 22-24) has remained a significant focus throughout the week in Chinese news and on Weibo, where related hashtags surged to the top of trending lists. While in Chinese media, mostly positive news was coming from South-Africa in light of Xi Jinping’s state visit and the Summit, international media were more concerned with the fact that Xi did not read his own speech for the Business Forum in Johannesburg. Instead, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao spoke in his place. On Weibo, news of Xi’s speech was presented in a way that didn’t explicitly indicate he hadn’t given it himself. Another noteworthy moment showed how Xi Jinping’s security guards were blocked from entering the venue. However, this moment wasn’t showcased on Chinese social media. The annual summit was marked by discussions of expansion: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to become full members starting from January 1st next year. (Various related trending hashtags on Weibo, such as ‘BRICS Times’ #金砖时刻# or ‘Xi Jinping’s South Africa Journey’ #习主席非洲之行#, 410 million views).
◼︎ 3. Prigozhin’s Private Plane Crashes. Weibo saw a flurry of discussions regarding the reported demise of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in the early hours of August 24 after reports indicated that he was listed as a passenger on a plane that had crashed in the Tver Region of Russia. Chinese state media outlets soon shared the footage showing the plane plummeting from the sky. Drawing parallels to history, some likened Prigozhin’s situation to that of Lin Biao, a powerful politician who met his untimely demise in a 1971 airplane crash that many believe was deliberately orchestrated. (“Russian Media Report Prigozhin’s Private Plane Crashed” #俄媒称普里戈任的私人飞机坠毁#, 310 million views).
◼︎ 4. Trump in Custody.“History seems to unfold right before our eyes these days,” remarked a popular Weibo comment this week, reflecting the surge of major events. Amidst the Fukushima water disposal, BRICS, and Prigozhin’s passing, the attention also turned to the news of former U.S. President Donald Trump and his now-iconic mug shot. This image was captured as he surrendered to an Atlanta jail, facing charges of seeking to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. On Chinese social media, Trump has always been a source of banter (link, link, link), and that was no different now. Some people imagined that with all this political intrigue, he’s become like a star in a South Korean soap opera (Weibo hashtag “Trump in Custody” #特朗普被收押#, 150 million views).
◼︎ 5. The Voice of China Stops Broadcasting. Following the online leakage of an audio recording in which the late Chinese celebrity Coco Lee expressed her dissatisfaction with the treatment she received from the production team of The Voice of China (also known as Sing! China), the reality TV show has emerged as a significant online topic. While the program initially dismissed the controversy surrounding the leaked recording, suggesting potential manipulation and ill intentions, the situation has now escalated to the point where the show’s broadcast has been suspended as of August 25th. Zhejiang TV, the broadcasting platform, issued a statement on Weibo, announcing an ongoing investigation. Consequently, the airing of the show has been temporarily put on hold. (Hashtag “The Voice of China Suspends Broadcasts” #中国好声音暂停播出#, 730 million views).
◼︎ 6. China’s 239 Million Singles during Qixi Festival. Talk of love was in the air this week, as China celebrated the Qixi festival, often referred to as the Chinese Valentine’s Day. While couples celebrated their love for each other, attention also turned to the growing number of single individuals in the country. The figure now stands at a staggering 239 million. This revelation surfaced from the China Population Census Yearbook (2020), which additionally revealed that the average age for first marriages has shifted to 28.67, marking a 3.78-year increase compared to 2010. “There are more people who don’t want to find a partner, and for those who want to, finding a partner has become more difficult,” one top commenter wrote. (Hashtag “China Has 239 Million Singles” #我国单身人口2.39亿#, 210 million views).
◼︎ 7. Banned for Life from Visiting Pandas. Perhaps it’s time to do another update to our ‘Meanwhile in Panda News‘ series, as there’s been quite some trending panda news again. There was the news that baby panda Fan Xing, who was born in a Dutch zoo, will soon be returned to China. Another trending news item concerns two visitors who fed bamboo shoots and peanuts to pandas in Chengdu. While other zoos in China hold less strict rules, the Chengdu Research Base is not to be messed with – the safety and well-being of the pandas is their top priority. Feeding the pandas resulted in a permanent ban for these two visitors from revisiting the Chengdu zoo. (“Two Tourists Get Lifetime Ban on Visiting Panda’s in Chengdu” #2游客被终生禁入成都大熊猫基地#, 19 million views).
◼︎ 8. Switzerland Hands Seized Cultural Relics Over to China. A handover ceremony in which Switzerland returned lost cultural relics to China, including a Ming Dynasty vase, and pottery from the Han and Tang Dynasties, became a number one trending topic on Douyin on August 25. During the handover ceremony, Ambassador Wang Shiting praised the collaboration between China and Switzerland in the field of cultural relics. Both countries underlined their commitment to combat illegal import and export of cultural relics. (Douyin hashtag “Switzerland Hands Over 5 Lost Cultural Relics to China 瑞士向中国移交5件流失文物).
What’s Behind the Headlines

Screenshot shared on Weibo of VOA’s article on the HRW report.
Human Rights Watch: Addressing Anti-Black Racism on Chinese Social Media
A recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) argues that China needs to take more robust measures to combat anti-Black racism on social media platforms. The report suggest that both major social media platforms and Chinese authorities systematically fail to properly address this issue.
The assertion made by HRW that Chinese social media serves as a breeding ground for anti-Black racism is not new. This issue has previously attracted international criticism. Last year, BBC released a documentary titled “Racism for Sale,” exposing an online market for racist videos featuring African children made to dance and sing degrading phrases in Chinese such as “I am dumb” or “I am monstrous.” Afterward, Chinese e-commerce sites closed shops engaged in trading such videos, Weibo shut down numerous accounts sharing racist content, and government officials spoke out against such practices.
But HRW argues that there are many other manifestations of anti-Black racism in China.While the report does not delve deeply into the specifics of the content they consider racist, it does reference videos that perpetuate racial stereotypes, content that belittles interracial relationships, accounts that impersonate Black people, and state media shows featuring performers with skin darkened by makeup. Platforms like Bilibili, Kuaishou, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu should intensify efforts to remove this kind of problematic content, it argues.
While the HRW report raises significant concerns, its approach also falls short in effectively conveying this message to the Chinese people. It lumps together various issues and shows a lack of understanding of China’s online media environment and Chinese perspectives, and how China’s differing pace in addressing racial equality and anti-Black racism also stems from drastically divergent historical and social contexts (read). Telling the country in the world with the least internet freedom that they should censor more is not only somewhat Orwellian, it also strengthens existing frustrations in China that the West often acts as a morally superior enforcer on the global stage. Within this context of distrust, many suspect that when Western powers accuse China of being racist, particularly against black Africans, they actually mean to disrupt China-Africa relations because they fear China’s growing global influence.
Predictably, the common response among Chinese netizens to the report was that ‘the West’ was once again revealing its true intentions by pointing fingers at China, despite ongoing instances of racist violence occurring within their own nations. Consequently, the report ultimately misses the mark by not effectively raising awareness about anti-Black racism in China. Instead, it fosters a sense of distrust regarding the genuine motivations behind a report published with good intentions.
What’s Noteworthy
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Yellen Had ‘Magic Mushrooms’ in Beijing |
It’s been weeks since the US treasury secretary visited Beijing, but her July visit has become a topic of discussion again after Yellen conducted an interview with CNN in which her noteworthy first meal in the Chinese capital was discussed. The restaurant where she had dinner is the Yunnan-themed ‘In and Out’ (一坐一忘), a local favorite in Beijing’s Sanlitun near the embassy area. Among other things, Yellen was served spicy potatoes with mint and stir-fried mushrooms, leading to online jokes about how the food would affect her.
The mushroom dish that is discussed here – and which has since become more popular – is called jiànshǒuqīng (见手青), which literally means “see hand blue” (in reference to turning blue when handled). It is the lanmaoa asiatica mushroom species that grows in China’s Yunnan region and is considered hallucinogenic, causing visions that locals call “xiǎorénrén” (小人人), literally: “little people,” referring to visual hallucinations where people see tiny humans. The fact that Yellen chose to eat such risky food on her first night in Beijing, ahead of important US-China talks, caused a great deal of hilarity on Chinese social media.
To prevent the mushrooms from causing poisoning and “seeing little people,” they must be handled with care and cooked thoroughly. Yellen claimed she did not have any ill effects from eating them, calling them “delicious.” Read more here.
What’s Popular
China’s ‘Lords of the Rings’ Needed Extra Support | Despite its initially underwhelming performance, the Chinese film Creation of the Gods I (封神第一部) has become a major summer box office hit in China, and the topic has become trending multiple times over the past week. With a planned budget of 3 billion yuan (approximately US$410 million), the mythological epic stands as the most ambitious and costly production in Chinese film history, having been in the works for years. Because director Wu’ershan first got the idea for this film when watching The Lord of the Rings in 2001, this first movie within the trilogy of the fantasy epic Creation of the Gods, also known as Fengshen Trilogy (封神三部曲) is also referred to as the “Chinese Lord of the Rings.”
However, despite the grand scale and hefty budget, the film struggled to capture much attention upon its theatrical release, and it took over two weeks for significant box office numbers to materialize. Social media played a pivotal role in its eventual box office success as viewers lauded the blend of traditional Chinese mythology with cutting-edge cinematic techniques. A devoted online community of fans contributed to the surge in ticket sales. This phenomenon is also called zìláishuǐ (自来水). This literally means ‘tap water,’ but it is a label for those netizens who spontaneously promote a film or artist without getting paid for it. Read more here.
What’s Memorable
2012 Anti-Japanese Riots This week, the Japanese embassy in Beijing warned Japanese nationals not to loudly talk in Japanese in public and to be careful when going out. Although many ridiculed the warning on Chinese social media, the current anti-Japanese tensions in China might remind some of September 2012, when tensions eventually led to violent anti-Japanese protests (反日游行) in different cities across China, including in Beijing, over the status of the Senkaku/Diaoyu island group. The long-standing dispute reached a zenith after the Japanese government nationalized control of three of the largest islands, triggering people to take to the streets across the country to vent their anger.
The protests led to excessives; people ravaged Japanese businesses, smashed Japanese-branded cars, threw rocks at the Japanese embassy, and burned Japanese flags. There was also a mass boycott of Japanese goods. One man from Xi’an was hit in the head by demonstrators for owning a Japanese car. In 2016, four years later, he was still hospitalized for head injury. At the time, What’s on Weibo published an article about it which you can read in our archive here.
Weibo Word of the Week
“Harvesting Chives” | Our Weibo Word of the Week is “割韭菜” (gē jiǔcài), which translates to “reaping chives.” This term refers to a situation in which inexperienced or uninformed individuals, symbolized by chives, are taken advantage of by more knowledgeable or manipulative people, often leading to financial losses for the less informed parties.
The term is widely used in the context of finance and investment, where a handful of market manipulators deceive numerous regular investors, who are often referred to as chives (“韭菜”), into buying overpriced assets. The manipulators then profit from these investments as prices suddenly plummet. The enduring vitality of chives as a plant serves as a metaphor for the unceasing influx of new investors who become ensnared in the manipulators’ schemes after the previous ones have already suffered losses and left the market.
“Harvesting Chives” or “Reaping Chives” has been frequently used amidst China’s recent property crisis, exemplified by major events like the payment suspension by Zhongzhi Enterprise Group and the potential bond default by Country Garden. Those affected by the crisis humorously label themselves as “chives” that have been harvested by a select group of senior figures within these enterprises, who are believed to have already transferred their ‘fruitful harvest’ elsewhere.
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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Newsletter
IShowSpeed in China: Streaming China’s Stories Well

Published
4 weeks agoon
March 30, 2025
“This man is doing God’s work. In just six hours, he eliminated all Western media propaganda about China,” Chinese influencer Li Sanjin (李三金) said in one of his videos this week. The man he referred to, allegedly doing ‘God’s work,’ is the American YouTuber and online streamer Darren Watkins, better known as IShowSpeed or Speed, who visited China this week and livestreamed from various locations.
With 37 million followers on his YouTube account, Watkins’ visit hasn’t exactly flown under the radar. His streams from China have already accumulated over 17.5 million views on YouTube alone, and he also became the talk of the week on Chinese social media.
In China, the 20-year-old IShowSpeed is known as Jiǎkànggē (甲亢哥), or “Hyper Bro,” since the immensely popular YouTube star is known for being highly energetic.
Although IShowSpeed is originally known for soccer and gaming-related content, he’s been streaming live from various countries over the past year, from Ecuador to Bolivia, from Australia to Indonesia, from Romania to Japan, and also from the Netherlands, where a mob of fans harassed the YouTuber to such an extent that the influencer fled and panicked, until the police intervened and asked him to shut down the livestream for safety reasons — which he did not comply with.
It was not the only time IShowSpeed’s visit got chaotic. He also got into trouble during livestreams from other countries. While streaming from Norway, he injured his ankle and was swarmed by a crowd while trying to get out. In Greece and Indonesia, he had to ask for police support as well. In Thailand, he crashed a tuk-tuk into a temple wall.
In China, IShowSpeed’s livestreams went far more smoothly, and netizens, state media, and other official channels raved about his visit and its favorable portrayal of the country and its culture.
🔹 Symbol of Cultural Exchange & Positive Diplomacy
“Jiǎkànggē” became one of the viral terms of the week, on Weibo, Kuaishou, Douyin, and Toutiao. During his China trip, the livestreamer hit several YouTube milestones — not only breaking the 37 million subscriber mark while on stream, but also surpassing the magic number of 10 million views in total.
Watkins, also known for being (sometimes aggressively) loud and chaotic, suddenly emerged as a symbol of cultural exchange and positive diplomacy. The past week saw hashtags such as:
#️⃣”IShowSpeed gives young foreigners a full-window view into China” (#甲亢哥给国外年轻人开了全景天窗#)
#️⃣”IShowSpeed’s Shanghai livestream breaks Western filter on China” (#甲亢哥上海直播打破西方对中国滤镜#)
#️⃣”American influencer IShowSpeed amazed by stable wifi on China’s high-speed train” (#美国网红甲亢哥被高铁稳定网络震惊#)
#️⃣”IShowSpeed praised deep tried tripe for being incredibly delicious” (#甲亢哥赞爆肚太好吃了#), or
#️⃣ “IShowSpeed bridges the cultural divide” (#甲亢哥弥合文化鸿沟#).
While in Chinese media, Watkins was lauded for shining a positive light on China, this message was also promoted on English-language social media, where he was praised by the Chinese embassy in the US (#驻美大使馆称赞甲亢哥中国行#), writing:

Post by Chinese Embassy in the US on X, March 26.
“This 20-year-old American internet star is bridging cultural gaps through digital means and creating new channels for foreign audiences to better understand China.”
So what exactly did IShowSpeed do while in China?
On March 24, Watkins livestreamed from Shanghai. He wandered around the city center, visited a KFC, danced with fellow streamers, stopped by a marriage market, ate noodles, played ping-pong, had hotpot, joined a dragon dance group and got acquainted with some traditional Chinese opera performance, and walked along the Bund.
On March 26, he streamed from Beijing, starting in Donghuamen before briefly entering the Forbidden City—dressed in a Dongbei-style floral suit. He later took a stroll around Nanluoguxiang and the scenic Houhai lake, rode a train, and finally visited the Great Wall, where he did backflips.
In his stream on March 28, Watkins traveled to Henan to visit the famous Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, hoping to find a master to teach him kung fu. He trained with Shaolin monks—footage that quickly went viral.
Lastly, on March 29, he opened his own Weibo account and published his first post. On Douyin, he shared a video of his visit to Fuxi Mountain in Zhengzhou, featuring the popular “Stairway to Heaven” tourist spot.
On social media, many viewers were captivated by the content. One major talking point was the remarkably strong internet connection that allowed him to livestream for six-hour stretches without losing signal in Shanghai. (Though his Beijing stream started off patchier, the drop was minor.) For many, it symbolized the quality of China’s 5G services.
Foreign viewers also praised how safe, friendly, and clean the country appeared, and how his streams highlighted various aspects of Chinese culture—from everyday people to traditional arts and local cuisine.
🔹 Telling & Spreading China’s Stories Well
It is no wonder the success of the Jiǎkànggē livestreams is celebrated by Chinese official media in an age where China’s foreign communication aims to increase China’s international discourse power, shaping how the world views China and making that image more credible, more respectable, and more lovable.
That’s not just an observation — it’s an official strategy. Introduced by Xi Jinping in 2013, “Telling China’s Story Well” (“讲好中国故事”) is a political slogan that has become a key propaganda strategy for China and continues to be a priority in finding different ways of promoting Chinese culture — new ways of telling China’s story in the social media age – while countering Western dominant narratives about China.
In increasingly digitalized times, it is not just about telling China’s story well, but also spreading China’s message effectively — preferably through genuine and engaging stories (Cai 2013; Qiushi 2021).
Especially young, non-official ‘storytellers’ can make China’s image more relatable and dynamic. One major example, highlighted in a 2022 case study by Zeng Dan (曾丹), is Chinese influencer Li Ziqi (李子柒). You’ve probably heard of her, or seen snippets of her videos: she creates soothing, cinematic content depicting China’s countryside lifestyle, focused on cooking, crafts, and gardening. With 26 million followers on YouTube, Li Ziqi became a viral sensation who successfully communicated an authentic and appealing ‘China story’ to a broad global audience.

Li Ziqi in one of her YouTube videos.
Although the calm and composed Li Ziqi and the loud, chaotic IShowSpeed couldn’t be more different, they have some things in common: both have large international fanbases, including their millions of YouTube subscribers; they offer perspectives that differ from Chinese state media or official channels; and they have the capacity not just to tell China’s story well, but to spread it effectively through videos and livestreams.
🔹 Spontaneous Stream or Scripted Propaganda?
IShowSpeed’s China streams have triggered a wave of responses from fans and viewers, sparking discussions across international social media and even making newspaper headlines.
In English-language online media spheres, there appear to be a range of perspectives on Watkins’ China trip:
📌 One prominent view—also echoed by various foreign influencers on YouTube and other platforms—is that IShowSpeed’s visit counters “Western media lies” about China and has successfully shown the “real China” through his livestreams. The Shanghai-based media outlet Radii claimed that “IShowSpeed’s China Tour is doing more for Chinese Soft Power than most diplomats ever could.”
📌 Others challenge this narrative, questioning which dominant Western portrayals of China IShowSpeed has actually disproven. Some argue that the idea of China being a “bleak place with nothing to do where people live in misery” is itself a false narrative, and that presenting IShowSpeed’s livestreams as a counter to that is its own form of propaganda (see: Chopsticks and Trains).
📌 There are also those who see Watkins’ trip as a form of scripted propaganda. To what extent were his livestreams planned or orchestrated? That question has become one of the central points of debate surrounding the hype around his visit.
These rumors have been addressed by cameraman Slipz (@shotbyslipz), who took to X on March 28, 2025. Slipz posted that the team is “(..) not making political content, not any documentary and no journalism,” and later added: “Fact: amount of money IShowSpeed has received from Chinese Government = $0.”
But does the fact that IShowSpeed did not receive money from the Chinese government mean that it wasn’t also a form of China promotion?
➡️ Organized — it definitely was. Any media trip in China has to be. IShowSpeed would have needed a visa, he had translators with him, and throughout the streams it’s evident that local guards and public security officers were present, walking alongside and helping to keep things under control, especially in crowded areas and at major tourist spots — from Nanjing Road in Shanghai to an entire group of guards seemingly accompanying the entourage in the Forbidden City.
One logistical “advantage” to his visit was the fact that YouTube is blocked in China. While some Chinese fans do bypass the Great Firewall to access the platform, IShowSpeed remains far less known in China than in many other countries — a factor that likely contributed to how smoothly the streams went and helped prevent chaos. The team also launched a Douyin account during the trip, where he now has over two million followers. (To stream directly to their 37 million followers on YouTube, Watkins’ team either needed a VPN to access WiFi or had arranged roaming SIM cards to stay connected.)
➡️ Was it staged? Many parts clearly weren’t: casual public conversations, spontaneous barber visits in both Shanghai and Beijing (with barbers looking unsure of how to handle the situation), and wholesome fan encounters. There was even a moment when Watkins walked into a public restroom and forgot to mute the sound.
But other parts of the trip were undeniably staged — or at least framed to appear spontaneous. When visiting a marriage market in Shanghai, for instance, two actors appeared, including one woman with a sign stating she was looking for someone “capable of doing backflips.”
When Watkins took a “random” ride in what was described as the fastest car in China — the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra — the vehicle appeared to be conveniently parked and ready.
Similarly, when the streamer “ran into” Chinese-American TikTok influencer Miles Moretti (李美越) in Beijing, it turned out to be the person who would give him the now-iconic bright Dongbei flower suit and accompany him on his journey.
The ping-pong, the kung fu, the Peking opera, the hotpot, the Forbidden City tour — it all plays into the kinds of experiences that official channels also like to highlight. While likely planned by Watkins’ team in coordination with local partners, it was all far more orderly and tourism-focused than, for example, Watkins’ chaotic visit to the Netherlands.
Watkins and his entourage were also well-informed about the local dos and don’ts. At one point, Watkins even mentions “following the rules,” and when Moretti tells him mid-stream that “somebody very important lives on our left,” Watkins asks “Who?” — but the camera zooms out and the question goes unanswered, suggesting they may have been reminded that certain names or topics were off-limits (judge the moment for yourself here).
The livestream didn’t always go exactly the way Watkins wanted, either. When he attempted to take more random walks around the city, the crew appeared to be informed that some areas were off-limits, and he was asked to return to the car to continue the trip (clips here and here).
🔹 The “Nàge” Song
One major talking point surrounding IShowSpeed’s China livestreams was “the N-word.” No, not that N-word — but the Chinese filler word “nàge” or “nèige” (那个). Like “uhm” in English or “eto” in Japanese, “nàge” is a hesitation marker commonly used in everyday Mandarin conversation. It also functions as a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.”
The word has previously stirred controversy because of its phonetic resemblance to a racial slur in English. In 2020, an American professor at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business was even temporarily suspended after using the word during an online communications class — some students misunderstood its context and took offense.
The word — and the song “Sunshine, Rainbow, White Pony” (阳光彩虹小白马) by Chinese singer Wowkie Zhang (大张伟), which repeatedly features the word nàge in its chorus — popped up multiple times during Watkins’ trip. The catchy tune essentially became the theme song of his visit.
The first nàge moment actually already appeared within the first five minutes of Watkins’ Shanghai stream, when a Chinese comedian approached him on the street, trying to recall a joke. “What?!” Watkins reacted, with laughter in the background. “That’s not a joke, you said n**! It’s my first five minutes in China!” he exclaimed, before patting the man’s back in a friendly gesture, clearly not offended.
🔄 It resurfaced again within the first hour when Watkins visited a marriage market and one of the performers sang the Wowkie Zhang song. Watkins initially acted shocked, then demanded they sing it again — only to burst out laughing and start singing along.
🔄 Later, he sang the song again with a street saxophonist and encouraged others to join in.
🔄 At other moments, he played up the drama again, feigning anger when a crowd broke into the chorus, and it became a recurring gag throughout the streams.
These incidents all seem staged. One of the main reasons Watkins is known to many netizens in China is because of an older video clip showing his exaggerated reaction to the nàge song — dating back to at least 2022. So while it may have looked spontaneous, Watkins was already familiar with the word and the viral song long before his China trip.The attention given to the nàge ‘controversy’ was likely amplified for views and engagement.
While Watkins was clearly in on this part of the show — as with others — he also seemed genuinely, and at times amusingly, unaware of many things in China. He repeatedly referred to RMB as “dollars,” mistook elderly women for retired YouTube streamers, and even assumed that a woman livestreaming near the Forbidden City was reading his chat and trying to collaborate with him — although she seemed totally uninterested and was just minding her own business.
🔹 A Win-Win Situation
In the end, IShowSpeed’s visit highlighted two sides effectively doing their job. Watkins and his team successfully arranged a YouTube trip that generated high ad revenue, attracted millions of new subscribers, and boosted his brand and global fame.
On the Chinese side, there was clearly coordination behind the scenes to ensure the trip went smoothly: avoiding controversy, ensuring safety, and showcasing positive aspects of Chinese culture. From traditional opera and kung fu to ping pong, IShowSpeed’s content gave center stage to the kinds of cultural highlights that align closely with China’s official narratives and tourism goals. Even if the government didn’t pay the YouTuber directly, as his team has emphasized (and there’s no reason to doubt them), the trip still fit seamlessly into China’s soft power strategy.
IShowSpeed’s China visit has created a unique media moment that resonates for several reasons: it’s the encounter of a young modern American with old traditional China; it is a streamer known for chaos visiting a nation known for control. And it brings different benefits to both sides: clicks and ad revenue for IShowSpeed, and free foreign-facing publicity for China.
No, IShowSpeed didn’t undo years of critical Western media coverage on China. But what his visit shows is that we’ve entered a phase where China is becoming more skilled at letting others help tell its story — in ways that resonate with a global, young, online audience. He didn’t do “God’s work.” He simply did what he always does: stream. And with China’s help, he streamed China very well.
There’s so much more I want to share with you this week — from Chinese reactions to the devastating Myanmar earthquake, to a recent podcast I joined with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf (link in Dutch, for those interested). But it also happens to be my birthday today, and I’m really hoping to still grab some birthday hotpot — so I’ll wrap this up here. I’ll keep you informed on the other trends in the next newsletter.📨.
Best,
Manya
(@manyapan)
References:
Cai, Mingzhao 蔡名照. 2013. “Telling China’s Stories Well and Spreading China’s Voice: Thoroughly Studying and Implementing the Spirit of Comrade Xi Jinping’s Important Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideological Work [讲好中国故事,传播好中国声音——深入学习贯彻习近平同志在全国宣传思想工作会议上的重要讲话精神].” People’s Daily 人民日报, October 10. http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1010/c1001-23144775.html. Accessed March 29.
Qiushi 求是网. 2021. “Xi Jinping: Telling China’s Story Well, Spread China’s Voice Well [习近平:讲好中国故事,传播好中国声音].” Qs Theory, June 6. http://www.qstheory.cn/zhuanqu/2021-06/02/c_1127522386.htm. Accessed March 29.
Zeng Dan 曾丹. 2022. “How to Tell China’s Story Well: Taking Li Ziqi as an Example [如何讲好中国故事——以李子柒为例].” Progress in Social Sciences 社会科学进展 4 (1): 10–19. https://doi.org/10.35534/pss.0401002.
What’s Featured
Quite terrifying and interesting, as this trending story touched upon so many different issues.
What started as a single snarky comment on Weibo spiraled into an online witch hunt, exposing not just some dark sides of online Kpop fandom but also, most importantly, the vulnerabilities in China’s digital privacy.
Read the story, the latest by Ruixin Zhang 👀
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: The Great Squat vs Sitting Toilet Debate in China🧻
This week, the Catch-22 of sitting versus squat toilets sparked heated discussion on Weibo after a Beijing News article exposed the messy reality of sitting toilets in Beijing malls.

Published
1 month agoon
March 23, 2025
PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #50
Dear Reader,
Shoe prints on top of the toilet seat are never a pretty sight. To prevent people from squatting over Western-style sitting toilets, there are some places that will place stickers above the toilet, reminding people that standing on the seat is strictly forbidden.
For years, this problem has sparked debate. Initially, these discussions would mostly take place outside of China, in places with a large number of Chinese tourists. In Switzerland, for example, the famous Rigi Railways caused controversy for introducing separate trains with special signs explaining to tourists, especially from China, how (not) to use the toilet.
Squat toilets are common across public areas in China, especially in rural regions, for a mix of historical, cultural, and practical reasons. There is also a long-held belief — backed by studies (like here or here) — that the squatting position is healthier for bowel movements (for more about the history of squat toilets in China, see Sixth Tone’s insightful article here).

Public squatting toilets in Beijing, images via Xiaohongshu.
Without access to the ground-level squat toilets they are used to — and feel more comfortable with — some people will climb on top of sitting toilets to use them in the way they’re accustomed to, seeing squatting as the more natural and hygienic method.
Not only does this make the toilet seat all messy and muddy, it is also quite a dangerous stunt to pull, can break the toilet, and lead to pee and poo going into all kinds of unintended directions. Quite shitty.

Squatting on toilets makes the seat dirty and can even break the toilet.
Along with the rapid modernization of Chinese public facilities and the country’s “Toilet Revolution” over the past decade, sitting toilets have become more common in urban areas, and thus the sitting-toilet-used-as-squat-toilet problem is increasingly becoming topic of public debate within China.
The Toilet Committee and Preference for Sitting Toilets
Is China slowly shifting to sitting toilets? Especially in modern malls in cities like Beijing, or even at airports, you see an increasing number of Western-style sitting toilets (坐厕) rather than squatting toilets (蹲厕).
This shift is due to several factors:
🚽📌 First, one major reason for the rise in sitting toilets in Chinese public places is to accommodate (foreign) tourists.
In 2015, China Daily reported that one of the most common complaints among international visitors was the poor condition of public toilets — a serious issue considering tourists are estimated to use public restrooms over 27 billion times per year.
That same year, China’s so-called “Toilet Revolution” (厕所革命) began gaining momentum. While not a centralized campaign, it marked a nationwide push to upgrade toilets across the country and improve sanitation systems to make them cleaner, safer, and more modern.
This movement was largely led by the tourism sector, with the needs of both domestic and international travelers in mind. These efforts, and the buzzword “Toilet Revolution,” especially gained attention when Xi Jinping publicly endorsed the campaign and connected it to promoting civilized tourism.
In that sense, China’s toilet revolution is also a “tourism toilet revolution” (旅游厕所革命), part of improving not just hygiene, but the national image presented to the world (Cheng et al. 2018; Li 2015).
🚽📌 Second, the growing number of sitting toilets in malls and other (semi)public spaces in Beijing relates to the idea that Western-style toilets are more sanitary.
Although various studies comparing the benefits of squatting and sitting toilets show mixed outcomes, sitting toilets — especially in shared restrooms — are generally considered more hygienic as they release fewer airborne germs after flushing and reduce the risk of infection (Ali 2022).
There are additional reasons why sitting toilets are favored in new toilet designs. According to Liang Ji (梁骥), vice-secretary of the Toilet Committee of the China Urban Environmental Sanitation Association (中国城市环境卫生协会厕所专业委员会), sitting toilets are also increasingly being introduced in public spaces due to practical concerns.
🚽📌 Squatting is not always easy, and can pose a safety risk, particularly for the elderly, pregnant women, and people with disabilities.
🚽📌 Then there are economic reasons: building squat toilets in malls (or elsewhere) requires a deeper floor design due to the sunken space needed below the fixture, which increases both construction time and cost.
🚽📌 Liang also points to an aesthetic factor: sitting toilets simply look more “high-end” and are easier to clean, which is why many consumer-oriented spaces prefer to install Western-style toilets.
So although there are plenty of reasons why sitting toilets are becoming a norm in newly built public spaces and trendy malls, they also lead to footprints on toilet seats — and all the problems that come with it.
The Catch 22 of Sitting vs Squad Toilets
This week, the issue became a trending topic on Weibo after Beijing News published an investigative report on it. The report suggested that most shopping malls in Beijing now have restrooms with sitting toilets, which should, in theory, be cleaner than the squat toilets of the past — but in reality, they’re often dirtier because people stand on them. This issue is more common in women’s restrooms, as men’s restrooms typically include urinals.
In researching the issue, a reporter visited several Beijing malls. In one women’s restroom, the reporter observed 23 people entering within five minutes. Although the restroom had only three squat toilets versus seven sitting ones, around 70% of the users opted for the squat toilets.
Upon inspection, most of the seven sitting toilets were dirty — despite being equipped with disposable seat covers — showing clear signs of urine stains and footprints. They found that sitting toilets being used as squat toilets is extremely common.
It’s a bit of a Catch-22. People generally prefer clean toilets, and there’s also a widespread preference for squat toilets. This leads to sitting toilets being used as squat toilets, which makes them dirty — reinforcing the preference for squat toilets, since the sitting toilets, though meant to be cleaner, end up dirtier.
In interviews with 20 women, nearly 80% said they either hover in a squat or directly squat on the toilet seat. One woman said, “I won’t sit unless I absolutely have to.” While some of those quoted in the article said that sitting toilets are more comfortable, especially for elderly people, they are still not preferred when the seats are not clean.
In the Beijing News article, the Toilet Committee’s Liang Ji suggested that while a balanced ratio of squat and sitting toilets is necessary, a gradual shift toward sitting toilets is likely the future for public restrooms in China.

How NOT to use the sitting toilet. Sign photographed by Xiaohongshu user @FREAK.00.com.
Liang also highlighted the importance of correct toilet use and the need to consider public habits in toilet design.
In Squatting We Trust
On Chinese social media, however, the majority of commenters support squatting toilets. One popular comment said:
💬 “Please make all public toilets squat toilets, with just one sitting toilet reserved for people with disabilities.”

Squatting toilets in a public toilet in a Beijing hutong area, image by Xiaohongshu user @00后饭桶.
The preference for squatting, however, doesn’t always come down to bowel movements or tradition. Many cite a lack of trust in how others use public toilets:
💬 “When it comes to things for public use, it’s best to reduce touching them directly. Honestly, I don’t trust other people…”
💬 “Squatting is the most hygienic. At least I don’t have to worry about touching something others touched with their skin.”
💬 “I hate it when all the toilets in the women’s restroom at the mall are sitting toilets. I’m almost mastering the art of doing the martial-arts squat (蹲马步).”
Others view the gradual shift toward sitting toilets as a result of Westernization:
💬 “Sitting toilets are a product of widespread ‘Westernization’ back in the day — the further south you go, the worse it gets.”
But some come to the defense of sitting toilets:
💬 “Are there really still people who think squat toilets are cleaner? The chances of stepping in poop with squat toilets are way higher than with sitting ones. Sitting toilet seats can be wiped with disinfectant or covered with paper. Some people only care about keeping themselves ‘clean’ without thinking about whether the next person might end up stepping in their mess.”
💬 One reply bluntly said: “I don’t use sitting toilets. If that’s all there is, I’ll just squat on top of it. Not even gonna bother wiping it.”
It’s clear this debate is far from over, and the issue of people standing on toilet seats isn’t going away anytime soon. As China’s toilet revolution continues, various Toilet Committees across the country may need to rethink their strategies — especially if they continue leaning toward installing more sitting toilets in public spaces.
As always, Taobao has a solution. For just 50 RMB (~$6.70), you can order an anti-slip sitting-to-squatting toilet aid through the popular e-commerce platform.

The Taobao solution.
For Chinese malls, offering these might be cheaper than dealing with broken toilets and the never-ending battle against footprints on toilet seats…
Best,
Manya
(@manyapan)
References:
Ali, Wajid, Dong-zi An, Ya-fei Yang, Bei-bei Cui, Jia-xin Ma, Hao Zhu, Ming Li, Xiao-Jun Ai, and Cheng Yan. 2022. “Comparing Bioaerosol Emission after Flushing in Squat and Bidet Toilets: Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Defecation and Hand Washing Postures.” Building and Environment 221: 109284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109284.
Bhattacharya, Sudip, Vijay Kumar Chattu, and Amarjeet Singh. 2019. “Health Promotion and Prevention of Bowel Disorders Through Toilet Designs: A Myth or Reality?” Journal of Education and Health Promotion 8 (40). https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_198_18.
Cao, Jingrui 曹晶瑞, and Tian Jiexiong 田杰雄. 2025. “城市微调查|商场女卫生间,坐厕为何频频变“蹲坑”? [In Shopping Mall Women’s Restrooms, Why Do Sitting Toilets Frequently Turn into ‘Squat Toilets’?]” Beijing News, March 20. https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309405146044773302810. Accessed March 19, 2025.
Cheng, Shikun, Zifu Li, Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin, Heinz-Peter Mang, Xiaoqin Zhou, Jian Zhang, Lei Zheng, and Lingling Zhang. 2018. “Toilet Revolution in China.” Journal of Environmental Management 216: 347–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.09.043.
Dai, Wangyun. 2018. “Seats, Squats, and Leaves: A Brief History of Chinese Toilets.” Sixth Tone, January 13. https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001550. Accessed March 22, 2025.
Li, Jinzao. 2015. “Toilet Revolution for Tourism Evolution.” China Daily, April 7. https://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2015-04/07/content_20012249_2.htm. Accessed March 22, 2025.
China’s Online Discourse on the Russia-Ukraine War
In case you missed it in our earlier newsletter, we recently published the article “US-Russia Rapprochement and ‘Saint Zelensky’: Chinese Online Reactions to Trump’s Shake-Up” as part of our What’s on Weibo Chapters. For more insights into how the war is discussed on Chinese social media, you can catch up here.
Stay tuned — we’re publishing another article on this topic later this week, exploring the unexpected connection between the Russia-Ukraine war and Chinese cosplayers.
What’s Trending
🍏 Chinese Netizens Turn to Tim Cook Over Factory’s Illegal Overtime
Netizens have recently started reaching out to Apple and its CEO Tim Cook in order to put pressure on a Chinese battery factory accused of violating labor laws. The controversy involves the Huizhou factory of Desay Battery (德赛电池), known for producing lithium batteries for the high-end smartphone market, including Apple and Samsung. The factory caught netizens’ attention after a worker exposed in a video that his superiors were deducting three days of wages because he worked an 8-hour shift instead of the company’s “mandatory 10-hour on-duty.” Compulsory overtime violates China’s labor laws.
In response, the worker and other netizens started to let Apple know about the situation through email and social media, trying to put pressure on the factory by highlighting its position in the Apple supply chain. By now, Desay Battery issued an official statement, admitting to “management oversights regarding employee rights protection” (“保障员工权益的管理上存在疏漏”) and promising to do better in safeguarding employee rights.
It’s an interesting story, and some commentators suggest that it shows that Chinese workers can effectively expose labor violations by reporting them to Western suppliers or EU regulators. But opinions vary. Others are less optimistic about the effectiveness, arguing that companies like Apple would be quick to drop suppliers over product quality issues but more willing to turn a blind eye to labor violations—since cheap labor remains a key competitive advantage in Chinese manufacturing.
💸 From Patriotic Influencer to Tax Evader: Sima Nan Fined More Than Nine Million Yuan
China’s well-known nationalist blogger Sima Nan (司马南) became a trending topic on Friday after being hit with a 9 million RMB ($1.2 million) fine for tax evasion. According to state media, from 2019 to 2023, he underpaid millions of yuan in personal income tax and other taxes by concealing income and submitting false declarations.
Sima responded to media, saying he fully admits guilt. At the same time he’s also blaming the multi-channel network that allegedly was in charge of paying taxes on his behalf at the time.
📌 Noteworthy: Sima Nan promised that- if he’ll still be allowed to have his social media presence – he would in detail explain how he ended up becoming a tax evader. This is kind of funny, because it shows just how good he is in what he does, turning his PR crisis into an opportunity for clicks and views 📈 (yes we do want to know how he went from patriotic influencer to becoming a multi-million tax dodger).
📌Public reaction: The most recurring comments I’ve seen on Weibo is that people are amazed at his high income. They note the hypocrisy of a nationalist, patriotic influencer who’s always preaching truth & justice evading taxes himself, and also conclude that being a nationalist is truly a money-making business🤑🇨🇳
💔 Tragedy at Hubei University: Zhang Yuzhen’s Disappearance and Aftermath
The disappearance of 19-year-old Chinese student Zhang Yuzhen (张钰臻) has captured nationwide attention this week. Zhang did not return after leaving her campus at Hubei University around 5 p.m. on March 15. Her phone remained traceable until 5:54 p.m., about one kilometer from campus. The case became a hot topic as millions of netizens turned into online sleuths, searching for clues that might lead to Zhang’s whereabouts.
On the afternoon of March 20, it was reported that Zhang’s personal items — including her keys and glasses — were discovered by a passerby next to a lake near the university. Police then began searching the lake. By that evening, her remains were found. The case is still under investigation.
There has been some online criticism regarding how the university handled Zhang’s disappearance. Although she was last seen on March 15, it wasn’t until March 18 that her parents were notified by a school counselor. They then reported her missing to the police, after which the school began cooperating with the investigation.
Now, there is also much discussion surrounding the behavior of Zhang’s mother, who has been publicly expressing her grief and anger on Douyin. After learning of her daughter’s death, she became emotionally distraught — screaming, crying, and demanding answers. She seemingly caused some public disturbance when she was prevented from immediately seeing her daughter’s remains, and was also not allowed to leave her hotel (perhaps due to concerns over her emotional state, though details remain unclear at this time). While some online voices have criticized her behavior, many are calling for empathy, arguing that any mother who has just lost her child would be desperate and distraught.
What’s Noteworthy
“The world is so big, I want to go out and see it” (Shìjiè nàme dà, wǒ xiǎng qù kànkan “世界那么大,我想去看看”).
This ten-character sentence became part of China’s collective social media memory after a teacher’s resignation note went viral in 2015. Now, a decade later, the phrase has gone viral once again.
In April 2015, the phrase caused a huge buzz on China’s social media when the female teacher Gu Shaoqiang (顾少强) at Zhengzhou’s Henan Experimental High School resigned from her job. Working as a psychology teacher for 11 years, she gave a class in which she made students write a letter to their future self. The exercise made her realize that she, too, wanted more from life. Despite having little savings, she submitted a simple resignation note that read: “The world is so big, I want to go out and see it.”
The resignation letter was approved, and she posted it to social media.
The letter resonated with millions of Chinese who felt they also wanted to do something different with their life, like go and travel, see the world, and escape the pressures and routines of their daily life. The phrase became so popular that it was adapted in all kinds of ways and manners, by meme creators, in books, by brands, and even by Xi Jinping, who said: “China’s market is so big, we welcome everyone to come and see it” (“中国市场这么大,欢迎大家都来看看”).
This week, Lěngshān Record (冷杉Record), the Wechat account under Chinese media outlet Phoenix Weekly (凤凰周刊), revisited the phrase and published a short documentary about Gu’s life after the resignation and the hype surrounding it.
An earlier news article about Gu’s life post-resignation already disclosed that Gu, despite receiving many sponsorship deals, never actually extensively traveled the world. In the short documentary, Gu explains that she chose to “return home after seeing the world.” By this, she doesn’t mean traveling extensively abroad, but rather gaining life experience in a broader sense. While she did travel, it was within China, including in Tibet and Qinghai.
What truly changed was her life path. She left Zhengzhou and relocated to Chengdu to be near Yu Fu (于夫), a man she had met just weeks earlier by chance during a trip to Yunnan. Six months after the resignation letter, she married him. Together, they ended up opening a hostel near Chengdu, married, and had a daughter.
Gu, now 45 years old, has been back in her hometown of Zhengzhou for the past years, caring for her aging mother and 9-year-old daughter. She is living separately from her husband, who manages their business in Chengdu. She also runs her own livestreaming and online parenting consultancy business.
Although the woman who wanted to “see the world” ended up back home, she has zero regrets about what she did, suggesting her courage to step out of the life she found limiting ultimately transformed her in a meaningful way.
On Chinese social media, the topic went trending on March 19. Most people cannot believe it’s already been ten years since the sentence went trending (“What? How could time fly like that?”). Others, however, wonder about the hopes and dreams behind the original message—and how it all turned out.
💬 “Seeing the world? She just escaped her old life, got married, and had a baby. How is that ‘seeing the world’?” one commenter wondered (@-NANA酱- ).
💬 “The world is so big—what did she end up seeing?” others questioned. “She went from Zhengzhou to Chengdu.”
💬 “Seeing the world takes money,” some pointed out.
💬 But others came to her defense, saying that “seeing the world” also means stepping out of your comfort zone and exploring a different life. In the end, Gu certainly did just that.
💬 “She was quite courageous,” another commenter wrote: “She gave up a stable job to go and see the world. Perhaps her life didn’t end up so rich, but the experiences she gained are priceless.”
The world is still big, though, and there’s plenty left for Gu Shaoqiang to see.
Also read what we wrote about this in 2015: In The Digital Age, ‘Handwritten Weibo’ Have Become All The Rage
What’s Memorable
📚 This pick from our archive is from last year, about Fan Zeng (范曾), the famous Chinese calligrapher, who is turning 87 soon and has a wife 50 years his junior.
This week, some videos featuring Chinese theoretical physicist & Nobel Prize winner Yang Chen-Ning (杨振宁) circulated on social media. Yang is turning 103 this year. Still sharp of mind, and he takes a walk every day.

Yang Chen-ning
In this interview here, when asked about the secret to his longevity, he points to one thing above all: luck.
🍀 Mostly, he suggests it’s the luck of good genes. On his father’s side, diabetes was common, but he was fortunate to inherit his mother’s genes in that regard.
🍚 He also mentions the luck of never experiencing extreme hunger during wartime — he lived in Kunming during those years.
💪 And then he stresses the importance of taking walks, every day, since he was about 70. Keep moving, keep the blood flowing!
What he doesn’t mention, however, is that his wife, Weng Fang (翁帆), is 54 years (!) his junior — I’m pretty sure she helps keep him young too…
Fan and Yang are good friends, and Yang’s good health might have inspired him to marry his 50-years-younger girlfriend last year. Read more 👇
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