The Precarious Business of Being a Book Influencer in China
Discover why China's book influencers are under fire over authenticity, what draws young people to medieval armored combat, and how Chinese netizens are talking about the World Cup without Team China
Hello TWOC readers!
Over the past five years, book influencers have flourished across Chinese social media, sharing reading notes, photo essays, and short videos while hosting livestreams that have become a powerful driver of book sales. A single recommendation from a top streamer like Dong Yuhui can sell millions of copies.
But as the industry has grown, so have questions about authenticity. Viewers have begun noticing familiar patterns in influencers’ posts, with many claiming their worldview was “reshaped” dozens of times or that books “healed” them over and over again within a single year.
The controversy highlights a deeper tension at the heart of book influencing: How do creators balance the pressure to chase trends and maintain a constant online presence with the inherently private, time-consuming act of reading?
Read on to find out more:
👇👇👇
The Precarious Business of Being a Book Influencer in China
As publishers increasingly rely on book vloggers to drive sales, questions over authenticity, algorithms, and fabrication continue to grow. Read more
Ready and Suited: China’s Buhurt Combat Culture is On the Rise
A decade on, armored combat, a niche historical battle sport, is starting to make ripples in the country despite its high barrier to entry. Read more
“Dear You”: A Dark Horse’s Quiet Revolution Against Movie Formula
A low-budget dialect film with no big-name stars, “Dear You” has become one of China’s most celebrated films in recent memory—and a quiet rebuke to an industry that has forgotten how to tell a story. Read more
What We’re Watching | TWOC Original
Revive the Scales: Meeting China’s Young Buhurt Enthusiasts
Chinese armor is quietly making a comeback—the kind you may have seen at the Terracotta Warrior exhibition or in the hit video game Black Myth: Wukong. In Beijing, we follow a group of young enthusiasts wearing head-to-toe armor that weighs 30 kilograms, clashing steel on steel in buhurt tournaments, chasing a battle cry they describe as, quote: “written in the gene.” Get a glimpse of the training base of the Beijing Shanhe team in this episode, and see how ancient combat culture is being revived among today’s youth.
Chinese You Need
Crossing the Line: Chinese Internet Humor Behind the 2026 World Cup Broadcast Deal
With the national men’s soccer team absent once again from the upcoming FIFA World Cup, how are netizens mocking (and supporting) Chinese soccer? Learn more in our language column
Buy Our Latest Issue
First defined by UNESCO in a 2003 convention, intangible cultural heritage encompasses oral traditions, performing arts, traditional crafts, rituals, festivals, and other living cultural practices. In recent years, China has seen a renewed interest in traditional arts and crafts, while businesses have moved quickly to capitalize on this revival, fueling the rise of “China chic” consumption and driving growth in cultural tourism. What are the driving forces behind the trend, and will it be sustainable? All this and more in our latest magazine issue. Support on-the-ground reporting from China—get your copy today!