Recently, a tragedy struck the entertainment industry in mainland China as renowned actor Yu Menglong was found dead after falling from a building in a community in Beijing at the young age of 37. His studio has publicly announced his death and stated that the authorities have ruled out any criminal suspicions. Since the news broke, there has been a lot of speculation, suspicion, and questioning regarding the cause of Yu Menglong’s death, including discussions about possibilities like “murder” and “hidden rules”, generating over 200 million discussions online. The police swiftly deleted posts to suppress the heated discussions, sparking public outrage.
Yu Menglong, who had portrayed the character “Bai Zhen Shang Shen” in the popular drama “Three Lives Three Worlds,” tragically fell to his death in Beijing in the early hours of September 11. With many questions surrounding the case, the Chinese authorities quickly closed the investigation. Faced with public skepticism, the authorities have been aggressively deleting posts online to maintain stability and prevent netizens from uncovering the truth.
A Chinese netizen, Wang Ming (alias), expressed to the media outlet, “When news of his death was first announced, many people felt sorrow and regret at losing such a young and beautiful talent. It is normal for netizens to have doubts, and it may lead to various speculations. The authorities’ heavy-handed approach to suppress discussions has only fueled more doubts. If this was a regular occurrence, why shut down discussions? With so many incidents occurring every day, if the authorities claim it’s excessive attention, there must be underlying problems. The circumstances of Yu Menglong’s death are quite suspicious, leaving people perplexed.”
As the controversy surrounding Yu Menglong’s death intensified, some screenwriters, directors, and authors spoke out, with 15 celebrities collectively demanding an explanation for his untimely demise and urging for a thorough investigation to reveal the truth. Media companies hurriedly distanced themselves from the “involved company,” hinting at possible ulterior motives. In response, Chinese internet regulators swiftly intervened, deleting over 4,300 posts on Weibo and banning accounts, but public opinion remains fervent.
Another Chinese netizen, Zhou Peng (alias), remarked, “Many netizens are seeking justice for Yu Menglong, questioning the circumstances of his death, leading to multiple related news items trending on Weibo. Once a topic becomes a hot discussion, it attracts attention, and more people participate in the conversation, prompting the authorities to suppress the topic by deleting posts or banning accounts.”
“Some netizens’ Weibo accounts have been silenced, gradually fading the topic from discussions, losing attention on public platforms, and reducing the overall interest,” said Zhou Peng.
Zhou Peng emphasized that the Chinese authorities fear freedom of speech and the spread of information, hence the suppression of free speech remains a consistent tactic of the Chinese Communist Party.