Recently, renowned mainland Chinese actress Yuan Li posted on social media that almost all of her accounts have been suspended repeatedly. She complained that “but I have never been able to prove that I am Yuan Li.” Later, in another post, she revealed her true desire to leave and go to a place of freedom.
In a post circulating online dated July 28, Yuan Li expressed, “From Weibo to Douyin, to Video Number, and then to Xiaohongshu, all have been suspended, only WeChat Moments are left for me. In an era of video and internet information, this is equivalent to being imprisoned.”
She said, “I don’t know why. It doesn’t seem like I’ve offended anyone, right? Whom have I offended? I have appealed, provided my ID multiple times to the backstage, but still have not been able to prove that I am Yuan Li.”
Yuan Li couldn’t help but question in the post, “Why was my account suspended for no reason? Am I a bad person? Is this to drive us ‘new five blacks’ to the limit?”
Lastly, Yuan Li mentioned that she intends to seek legal advice.
Subsequently, in another post, Yuan Li revealed, “If it weren’t for the people I have helped that moved me, I would really want to leave, to go to a free place, to an elegant place, to a place where I am loved. I cannot love others long term without being loved in return.”
She also mentioned that she called a friend and told them that she wanted to leave.
A screenshot of Yuan Li’s Xiaohongshu account shows, “The user is forbidden to follow.”
On July 30, a Weibo big V “Bingshu Ping” posted an article on Netease titled “Yuan Li’s new account has been banned again! The reason is: unable to prove that she is Yuan Li!”, which has now been deleted.
Yuan Li, 52 years old this year, is a well-known mainland Chinese actress who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy’s Acting Department and starred in multiple film and television works during her school years. She had significant roles in TV dramas such as “Iron Teeth and Bronze Teeth Ji Xiaolan,” but gradually faded from the entertainment industry, dedicating more time and energy to public welfare for Chinese pneumoconiosis patients.
Yuan Li has always been outspoken, often voicing support for vulnerable groups and addressing social issues on Weibo, leading to censorship and defamation by the Chinese Communist Party.
For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Yuan Li was suspected of being silenced by the authorities due to her outspokenness on pandemic-related issues. Her personal Weibo account was informed: “Your account will be permanently banned because the content you recently posted violates relevant laws and regulations.”
This recent incident of Yuan Li being banned from speaking out online has sparked concern. Many netizens expressed, “Unable to prove her own identity is a ridiculous reason.” “Doing charity work makes too many people aware,” “This is related to Yuan Li’s ‘public intellectual’ position! The reasons for the suspension will be vague.” “When the devil does evil, it will surely silence the righteous…so Yuan Li’s accounts have almost all been suspended. Not allowing her to speak, shutting her up.”