In a bizarre turn of events, Chinese male star Yu Menglong’s mysterious death has caused a stir, with various insider revelations spreading widely online despite the strong suppression efforts by the Chinese authorities. Over ten days have passed since the incident, and the unfolding situation has left lingering public discontent. Observers abroad believe that the authorities underestimated the impact of Yu Menglong’s death, with a shift in the mindset of the Chinese people potentially pushing online activism offline, thereby influencing the country’s political landscape.
On September 22nd, netizens noticed that Yu Menglong’s Weibo super topic has been closed, with all content in the latest post section being erased, while a few fan greeting posts still remain in the detailed section. Yu Menglong’s Weibo super topic is now inaccessible for further attention.
On the previous day, September 21st, the Beijing Chaoyang Branch of the Public Security Bureau reported the arrest of three women on charges of “fabricating and spreading false information online for sensationalism and increasing traffic, creating and disseminating fake videos, severely disrupting public order.” On the same day, the authorities cracked down on Weibo and Kuaishou platforms, citing the promotion of a large amount of negative information including gossip about celebrities and trivial matters on their trending lists.
Despite the escalated control of online speech by the authorities, martial artist actor Zhang Lin dared to post on Weibo on September 23rd, saying, “Ten days have passed, troubled sleep, insomnia at night! Painful!”
The day before, Zhang Lin stated, “Yu Menglong, I know you can definitely see this! So many stars’ lights are still burning! Thank you to everyone! Restrictions and deletions are useless! All opposition is just paper tigers!”
These posts were all restricted and prohibited from receiving comments on Weibo.
Following the intensified repression of online voices by the Chinese authorities, some Chinese netizens are already discussing the next steps to counteract. The wave of public opinion surrounding the Yu Menglong case began in the early hours of September 11th when the 37-year-old Yu Menglong fell to his death from the fifth floor of a building in the Chaoyang district of Beijing. Officially characterized as a “drunken accidental fall,” his studio released an obituary notice, and the police ruled out criminal suspicion within 24 hours.
However, the incident rapidly snowballed online, evolving into a storm questioning the credibility of the authorities. Online leaks alleged that Yu Menglong was targeted for resisting unspoken rules within his industry. Audio recordings and videos circulated online revealing that the final gathering involving Yu Menglong included directors, screenwriters, and other industry insiders, implicating the harasser, director Xin Qi, as a illegitimate child of Cai Qi and a distant relative of Xi Jinping.
On September 16th, Yu Menglong’s mother posted stating her son’s cause of death as a “drunken accidental fall,” urging an end to speculation, which only sparked more doubts.
As authorities blocked related information, Chinese netizens resorted to various methods to continue their ‘towering,’ with up to 680,000 comments on CCTV videos and flooding the State Council’s message board, bombarding police phone lines, and more.
On September 20th, overseas Chinese in Los Angeles held a “Jasmine Action” rally, chanting “The truth must not be buried!” Online, posts regarding Yu Menglong’s death circulated widely, exposing the dark side of the entertainment industry and transactions of power within the Chinese Communist Party. Yu Menglong’s mentor in Taiwan, Sun Derong, publicly accused the higher-ups of suppressing the truth, directly pointing fingers at the Beijing cover-up.
Several entertainment figures implicated in Yu Menglong’s final gathering, including director Cheng Qingsong, Fang Li, Cheng Qing Song, Yuan Zi Wen, Yuan Zi Hao, Fan Shiqi, and Song Yiren, have recently issued statements distancing themselves, filing police reports, or initiating legal actions. However, such efforts have not convinced the public.
Director Cheng Qingsong reposted a police statement on September 22nd, claiming he neither knew Yu Menglong nor attended the said gathering, and stated plans for legal actions in collaboration with his lawyer. Yet, a photo of a red-haired man at the scene of the incident surfaced, sparking speculations that it could be Cheng Qingsong based on hair color and physique; however, the authenticity remains unverified.
Renowned paparazzo ‘Baixiaosheng,’ after the police report, mourned Yu Menglong on Weibo on September 21st, saying, “In the next life, don’t become an actor!” Some netizens perceived this statement as possibly concealing a deeper meaning, implying “there is more than meets the eye,” suggesting knowledge withheld from the public.
Account ‘Xin Gaodi’ posted on September 22nd, asserting that the authorities, led by Xi Jinping, have seemingly underestimated the depth of public discontent triggered by Yu Menglong’s death—from entertainment gossip to allegations of judicial corruption, igniting public anger against the ‘umbrella of privileged protection,’ revealing the ineffectiveness of censorship in the digital age.
The article opines that the authorities misjudged the ‘silent majority.’ In the Xi era, reliance on extensive data surveillance led to the belief that the populace had become numb to internal conflicts. Yet, Yu Menglong’s image—devoted to volunteering, charitable donations, and upright integrity—has struck a chord with the middle class and youth. With the economic downturn in 2025, high unemployment rates, and long-standing grievances within the entertainment industry regarding ‘unspoken rules,’ his death symbolizes the metaphor of ‘when will ordinary people get their turn,’ resonating globally.
The article suggests that the impact of Yu Menglong’s death has exceeded the expectations of the Chinese authorities. It signifies a crack in the narrative of ‘common prosperity’ presented by the government: a seemingly bright star tragically meeting an undisclosed “accident.” Audio recordings pointing to “high-ranking officials’ illegitimate offspring” implicated key political figure Cai Qi. The event transitioned from a mere ‘falling from a building’ to accusations of ‘power and sex trade,’ reviving memories of cases like ‘Lei Yang’ and ‘Iron Chain Woman’ among the public.
The author posits that the event could trigger a ‘domino effect’: if similar scandals unfold, it may further erode the legitimacy of the Xi Jinping regime. Yu Menglong’s departure is not the end but a mirror reflecting cracks in censorship and the instability of an empire amidst a deluge of information.
Account ‘Xinwen Diaocha’ also posted, indicating a substantial number of netizens under the social media accounts of foreign politicians like Trump hope to draw attention to the alleged murder of Yu Menglong by 17 individuals. Seeking justice for Yu Menglong has kept public skepticism brewing as the most severe censorship since the inception of the Chinese internet has sparked public outrage, evident in the whopping 15 billion clicks. The Chinese government and law enforcement are now concerned about potential disruptions during the upcoming National Day holiday.
Political commentator Li Lin analyzed the situation for 大紀元, noting the similarities and differences between the current unfolding event and the ‘Iron Chain Woman’ support movement from previous years. This incident directly implicates core figures in the Central Leadership compound in Zhongnanhai, explicitly naming Xi Jinping and his confidant Cai Qi.
Former Taiwanese media personality Hu Caipin stated that the Yu Menglong case is riddled with persistent rumors hinting at underlying mysteries, akin to the Linggu car accident involving the son of Ling Jihua a decade ago, leading to Ling Jihua’s downfall. Li Lin believes that the Yu Menglong incident preceding the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Communist Party of China may serve as a weapon for internal factions within the Party to target Cai Qi and even Xi Jinping, potentially coming into play during the session.
Li Lin argues that the event surrounding Yu Menglong merely scratches the surface of the shady dealings within the autocratic system of the CCP. As the Chinese populace undergoes a shift in mindset, the forceful suppression by the CCP might either drive online activism towards offline actions or catalyze political changes, with the subsequent developments warranting close observation.
It is worth noting that the Cyberspace Administration of China announced on September 22nd the initiation of a two-month campaign targeting so-called ‘malicious provocation of negative emotions,’ conveniently overlapping with the duration of the Fourth Plenary Session. Cai Qi plays a significant role in China’s online censorship.
US-based scholar Wu Zuolai previously expressed to 大紀元 that the core issue in the Yu Menglong case lies in the abnormal speed and intensity of the authorities’ response. “If this was just a regular accident, the investigation results should have been open and transparent long ago. The swift closure of the case and suppression of discussions suggest deep-rooted issues likely involving senior-level interests.”