On September 24th, Chinese internet celebrity, graduate entrance exam tutor, and founder of the Suzhou educational institution “Peak Study Wuling” Zhang Xuefeng had his accounts on platforms such as Weibo, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and Kuaishou banned from being followed, sparking attention online. Earlier this month, he had claimed to donate at least 50 million RMB in response to the Chinese Communist Party’s actions towards Taiwan, which stirred controversy.
According to reports from China News, Daily Economic News, Sohu Technology, and other mainland media outlets, on September 24th, Zhang Xuefeng had his accounts on various platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili banned from being followed.
Among the platforms where following was prohibited, Weibo stated: “This user has been banned from being followed for violating laws or the Weibo Community Convention”; Kuaishou indicated: “This user has been banned from being followed for violating community regulations”; Bilibili mentioned: “This account is abnormal, following failed”; Douyin notified: “This user has been banned from being followed”.
However, his accounts on Douyin such as “Zhang Xuefeng Talks about College Planning,” “Zhang Xuefeng Discusses the Graduate Entrance Exam,” “Zhang Xuefeng Talks about the Graduate Entrance Exam,” can still be followed, and multiple accounts are currently live streaming.
On the same day, when asked by China News reporters, Zhang Xuefeng stated, “The ban on followers is an account issue,” and then promptly ended the call.
As of now, Zhang Xuefeng has over 41 million fans across all platforms, including 26.72 million on Douyin, 8.045 million on Weibo, 4.145 million on Bilibili, and 1.581 million on Xiaohongshu.
Of note, on the day of China’s September 3rd military parade, Zhang Xuefeng organized hundreds of employees from his educational company to watch the live broadcast and stated that China possesses these weapons not to intimidate others but for “national unity.”
Zhang Xuefeng further remarked, “When our motherland needs to unify… the day the guns are fired, I will donate at least 50 million; there will always be this money in my company’s account, and on that damn day, I will directly put in 50 million, contributing at least one hundred million overall.”
This statement sparked significant controversy. After 21 days, Zhang Xuefeng’s accounts on multiple platforms were banned from being followed, becoming a hot topic of online discussion.
Career blogger “Ma Xiaoshang” analyzed, “War should never be a default option. Inciting a bellicose mood among the public can affect peace in the Taiwan Strait. Claiming to donate money to one’s own people for war. As a public figure, this is highly inappropriate. We must pay attention to those who incite public sentiments, as they can incite violence at any moment.”
Real estate blogger and Weibo influencer “Zhang Chemistry” remarked, “Reap what you sow! Some content is not something ordinary people should touch!”
Netizens commented, “Inflated ego, couldn’t control his mouth, and eventually got into trouble.” “Getting what he deserves, sacrificial lamb. Was he too high-profile?” “After his recent remarks, it was obvious he was on the path to being banned.” “His speech was too extreme, surely leading to a ban.”
Public records reveal that Zhang Xuefeng’s real name is Zhang Zibiao. He was born in 1984 in Fuyu County, Heilongjiang Province, and graduated from Zhengzhou University. In June 2016, Zhang Xuefeng gained popularity on the internet with “Interpreting 34 Top 985 Universities in Seven Minutes,” and has since expanded his influence through frequent participation in variety show recordings and managing social media accounts.