“洋网红”探宝中国 Culture！Culture！Culture！
闻义枰工作室
“甲亢哥”本名小达伦·沃特金斯，由于他直播时情绪亢奋、表情丰富、肢体语言疯狂，被中国网友戏称为“甲亢哥”。
Recently, U.S. Gen-Z influencer @IShowSpeed (Darren Watkins Jnr, nicknamed "Jiakang Ge" by Chinese netizens), who won over 38 million subscribers on the YouTube, embarked on his first tour in China.
He had previously visited a number of cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Henan, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Changsha with 8 livestreams hitting 70 million cumulative views.
Each uninterrupted live-stream episode lasts from five to nine hours free of preconceived biases, and reveals a journey of surprises and cheers.
Netizens around the world were deeply impressed by the infrastructure, local customs, and cultural and historical heritage of major cities in China.
As the Chinese Embassy in US noted, "the 20-year-old popular American YouTuber lShowSpeed kicked off a journey in China that has already garnered massive global attention, which indicates a broader trend of digital influencers bridging cultural gaps and creating alternative channels for foreign audiences to understand a vibrant China."
Watching the Sichuan opera's "Bian Lian" (face-changing) and fire-breathing performances up close, visiting The Great Wall and performing his signature back-flip stunt, and learning about the life philosophy of "pain" and "meaning" when experiencing Chinese Kung Fu at the Shaolin Temple, these live-streaming shows create masses of famous scenes that have gone viral globally.
Under the lens of "Jiakang Ge", the image of Chinese cities and modern infrastructure construction become tangible and perceptible. Fine traditional Chinese culture with a profound historical background, represented by the Forbidden City, Kung Fu, Traditional Chinese Medicine, etc., is vivid and lively. Urban residents appear relaxed, inclusive, and confident in front of the camera.
"Western media have been spreading misinformation about China for decades, however, these rumors were totally eliminated after IShowSpeed live-streamed for a few hours, " read a comment. Beginning with the "China-US Ground-breaking Exchanges" on Red Note at the start of the year, a new wave of authentic storytelling about China has emerged.
International influencers like "Jiakang Ge", Jerry Kowal, and Evan Kail, along with countless foreign visitors share the real Chinese story through their ChinaTravel. Real talk, real streets—China's authentic vibe speaks for itself. No subtitles are needed! These deep-dive cultural experiences are going viral worldwide.
It follows that cross-cultural exchanges do not need to strive for perfection but must prioritize authenticity.
At the Shaolin Temple, "Master Liang" broke the internet with his fluent English and martial arts bearing:
His words not only convey the philosophy of "the Great Harmony of the World" carried by Chinese Kung Fu over thousands of years of inheritance, but also reveal the key to the live streaming's global sensation: Culture + Honesty = The Ultimate Bias-crushing & Barrier-breaking Superpower.
Global netizens are looking at each other, with the eagerness to understand the real China and the aspiration to showcase a confident China clashing and interacting.
As China has extended the visa-free transit stay duration from 72 to 144 hours, and then further to 240 hours, this fantastic cultural odyssey will continue moving forward.
The image of China as an open, confident inclusive, and dynamic country is entering global consciousness through a series of sincere dialogues.
中国文艺网
文艺云APP