On December 26, 2024, Chinese financial internet celebrity and Chief Economist of Zhongyuan Bank, Ren Zeping, released Emperor Wu of Han’s “Edict of Luntai” on his personal Weibo account on Christmas Day. Some netizens believe that this was an analogy to the present, implying criticism towards the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, which led to Ren Zeping being banned from Weibo.
Ren Zeping’s Weibo account has over 5 million followers. Screenshots circulating online show that on Christmas Day (December 25), he posted the edict issued by Emperor Wu of Han in 89 BC, which mentioned, “My actions since taking the throne have been reckless, causing distress across the land, and cannot be regretted. From now on, any actions that harm the people or waste the resources of the country will be stopped,” reflecting Emperor Wu of Han’s introspection on his governance mistakes.
Shortly after, Ren Zeping’s Weibo account was swiftly banned. The related post cannot be found, and the page displays a message stating, “Due to violation of relevant laws and regulations, this user is currently in a banned state.” Many netizens commented that Ren Zeping was drawing parallels between ancient times and the present, even directly criticizing Xi Jinping.
This is not the first time that Ren Zeping has been banned from Weibo. In mid-October this year, Ren Zeping engaged in an online quarrel about the trends of the A-share market with Dan Bin, General Manager of Shenzhen Oriental Harbor Investment Management Co., Ltd. Dan Bin repeatedly warned investors of risks, while Ren Zeping accused Dan Bin of “making a mess” by shorting China’s economy and public policies at a crucial moment, resulting in both individuals being banned.