‘Mingrenare the respectable ones’: an analysis of everyday engagements with contemporary celebrity culture in China

Abstract

To investigate the values and social norms underpinning celebrity culture, it is crucial to study everyday uses of celebrity culture. Yet, studies in this area have been limited thus far, especially in non-Western contexts. This exploratory study focuses on the ways how young and middle-aged adults in everyday life in urban China discuss and value media celebrities. The results show that respondents have a rather similar way of valuing celebrity: celebrities need to have strong work ethics and showcase social responsibility; only then do they 'earn' their right to be considered 'famous'. We conclude that these values are closely related to the current socio-cultural situation of China's social transformation and echo the value system promoted by the Chinese government.

Influenced or to be influenced: Engaging social media influencers in nation branding through the lens of authenticity

“…For instance, the international popularity of Li Ziqi, who owns at least 14 million followers on YouTube, has prompted the state to re-evaluate the strength of state-led soft power schemes and redesign the strategies of conveying the stories of China abroad (Xu, Donnar, & Kishore, 2021). At home, local governments were advised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2020 to invest in internet celebrities to market rural regions and stimulate economic development (Shen, 2021) In addition to the commonalities of influencers, Chinese influencers, known as 'wanghong', are expected to have social impact by performing as a role model to set the moral direction of society (Shan, Chen, & Lin, 2019;Xu, Reijnders, & Kim, 2021). This involves the fulfilment of work ethics and social responsibility, as well as the promotion of the core socialist values imposed by traditional Chinese culture, national goals and social goals, alongside the individual values of patriotism, dedication, integrity and friendship (M. .…”

“…The tremendous growth of the internet and the large amount of internet and social media users have implications for the brand meanings of China. For instance, the international popularity of Li Ziqi, who owns at least 14 million followers on YouTube, has prompted the state to re-evaluate the strength of state-led soft power schemes and redesign the strategies of conveying the stories of China abroad (Xu, Donnar, & Kishore, 2021). At home, local governments were advised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2020 to invest in internet celebrities to market rural regions and stimulate economic development (Shen, 2021)…”

“…In addition to the commonalities of influencers, Chinese influencers, known as ‘wanghong’, are expected to have social impact by performing as a role model to set the moral direction of society (Shan, Chen, & Lin, 2019; Xu, Reijnders, & Kim, 2021). This involves the fulfilment of work ethics and social responsibility, as well as the promotion of the core socialist values imposed by traditional Chinese culture, national goals and social goals, alongside the individual values of patriotism, dedication, integrity and friendship (M. Xu et al, 2021). In recent years, there has been a surge of Chinese influencers functioning as an independent agency or a government ambassador in promoting a place brand.…”

Indenturing Celebrity: Governing China’s Entertainment Industries

“…In this view, PRC celebrities are expected to be good social role models with high moral standards, who model individual success and consumerism rather than class struggle. Sullivan and Kehoe (2019: 246) argue that normative values like “filiality, faithfulness in marriage and the collective good are dominant social norms that [PRC] celebrities are expected to conform to by the state, business and publics.” Min Xu, Stijn Reijnders, and Sangkyun Kim (2021: 97) conclude from fifteen interviews about Chinese audiences’ engagement with celebrity culture that the “intersections between the desirable qualities of famous people and the value system promoted by the Chinese government are clear.”…”