Recently, a video of the popular Chinese internet celebrity “Northeast Rain Sister” capturing rice field crabs has sparked controversy. The internet celebrity admitted that the “Pankin rice field crabs” she had previously filmed were fake. The crabs in the video were actually imported “bathing crabs,” a fact that was brought to light by a report by CCTV.
In the original video, “Northeast Rain Sister” is seen enthusiastically catching Pankin crabs in the rice fields with her companions. However, the comment section soon filled with skepticism, with some even accusing Rain Sister of staging the whole scene. According to reports from Morning News and 21 Economic, locals claiming to be rice field crab farmers shared detailed evidence in the comment section indicating that the crabs caught by Rain Sister were pre-arranged for the video shoot, raising questions of staged deception.
On the morning of September 7th, “Northeast Rain Sister” addressed the issue in her livestream and admitted that the crabs shown in the video were actually placed in the rice fields beforehand. She clarified that they were river crabs from the Pankin reservoir, and the filming was part of an official promotional event for Pankin rice field crabs. Due to the specific timing of the activity and difficulties with nighttime filming, misunderstandings arose. Rain Sister has since taken down the video.
During the livestream, Rain Sister did not disclose the specific name of the official event she participated in. According to Red Star News, on September 3rd, an event related to river crabs was indeed held in Panshan County, Pankin City, titled the “Pankin River Crab Festival and Panshan County Digital Consumption Experience Event,” organized by the Department of Commerce.
Prior to this incident, CCTV had previously featured Pankin rice field crabs in a promotional report. According to CCTV, Pankin rice field crabs are farmed in Liaoning Pankin, where the crabs are placed in the rice fields to eliminate pests, with their excrement serving as fertilizer. The crabs hit the market in large quantities starting in September, known for their large size, tender meat, and a distinct flavor reflecting the alkaline soil of the Pankin region, making them a popular delicacy.
CCTV introduced “Northeast Rain Sister,” whose real name is Chang Xiaoyu from Benxi County, Liaoning Province. Standing nearly 1.8 meters tall, she is known for her robust physique and braided hair, manifesting a strong and dynamic image. Her husband, “Old Kuai,” featured in the videos, presents a contrasting persona, appearing meek beside Rain Sister.
In early 2022, the former farmer “Northeast Rain Sister” gained fame on Douyin by sharing short videos showcasing daily life in rural Northeast China. Her videos, depicting tasks like carrying half a pig, wielding a tall copper pot, blanching cabbage by hand, fishing out salted vegetables from ice water, lifting heavy barrels, and handling large pigs, earned her the moniker “Wolf Warrior Version of Li Ziqi” among netizens.
As of now, “Northeast Rain Sister” has amassed 24.49 million fans on Douyin.
It is worth noting that in April of this year, the Cyberspace Administration of China issued a notice targeting the rampant sensationalism, misleading information, and blurring of truth and falsehood by self-media accounts, initiating a special cleanup campaign. Subsequently, many self-media accounts were shut down.
However, the false promotion of Pankin rice field crabs by official entities like CCTV and “Northeast Rain Sister” remained unaffected.
In response, Jiyan News commented that even if it was done at the official’s invitation to promote Pankin rice field crabs, the representation should have been truthful without resorting to deception.
Some articles criticized that the rice field crabs sold by Rain Sister had serious issues. Firstly, the so-called “rice field crabs” were not naturally grown in the fields but were artificially cultivated and labeled as “rice field” for higher sales prices. Moreover, there were cases of substandard and deceased crabs being sold, severely compromising consumer rights. Additionally, false advertising regarding the origin and farming environment of the crabs misled numerous consumers.
According to Whale News, “Northeast Rain Sister” gained popularity for her no-nonsense style and realistic portrayal of rural daily life in her videos. She was seen as a different side of Li Ziqi, showcasing a more authentic rural lifestyle. However, industry experts pointed out that Rain Sister’s account, including editing style and character portrayal, was carefully tailored for success.
“Northeast Rain Sister’s” rise to fame owes partly to her unique characteristics and also to platform support for newcomers. Agriculture-related content, such as rural life, is a focus for short video platforms, with Rain Sister quickly gaining over 6.7 million followers within six months after the decline in popularity of “Zhang Xue” accounts.
Although a former short video content creator, livestreaming has become Rain Sister’s main revenue source. According to Feigua data, she has conducted 14 live broadcasts in the past three months, with total sales ranging from 50 to 75 million RMB. Rain Sister promotes mainly food and fresh produce in her live streams, with an average viewership exceeding 3 million per session.
Prior to the recent controversy, “Northeast Rain Sister” faced criticism for selling questionable geese. However, she provided “Quarantine Certification” and promised to compensate threefold in case of falsification.