Young vlogger's cosplay of Chinese superheroes sparks netizens' passion for traditional Chinese culture

A 29-year-old vlogger, Zhu Tiexiong, has captured the hearts and minds of over 20 million followers on China's short video sharing platform Douyin, by cosplaying as Chinese superheroes like the legendary Monkey King Sun Wukong from the Chinese classical novel “Journey to the West.” Zhu’s knack for creativity with eye-catching cosplay renditions has aroused widespread passion for traditional Chinese culture among netizens.

Besides Sun Wukong, the popular vlogger has cosplayed a repertoire of heroic figures including Ne Zha, a child prodigy from ancient Chinese legends, and the renowned generals Guan Yu and Zhao Yun from China's late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).

Zhu Tiexiong plays the Monkey King Sun Wukong from the Chinese classical novel “Journey to the West” with a boy in a short video in October 2021. (File photo from Zhu Tiexiong)

Zhu’s team has shown tremendous dedication over the past three years by producing over 30 high-quality videos that celebrate Chinese culture. As a result of their hard work, Zhu’s videos have gone viral and garnered immense popularity on Douyin.

In these videos, Zhu transforms himself expertly into these iconic characters. For example, embodying the Monkey King by wielding his golden cudgel, replicating the child deity Ne Zha by riding on his "wind fire wheels", and commandeering as Guan Yu by brandishing his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Zhao Yun by galloping with his spear.

In essence, through a potent blend of traditional Chinese aesthetics, captivating storytelling, and attractive cosplay, Zhu has successfully reimagined Chinese superheroes for the digital native generation.

Zhu Tiexiong performs the art of face-changing in Sichuan Opera using visual effects in a short video in January 2023. (File photo from Zhu Tiexiong)

In addition, elements of traditional Chinese culture, such as lion dance, Chinese shadow puppetry, and the art of face-changing in Sichuan Opera, are fairly common in his videos.

According to Zhu, his team frequently spends hundreds of hours meticulously refining and perfecting the visual effects of just seconds of footage, enhancing their cosplay by experimenting with visually striking traditional garbs to deepen the cultural impact.

"I especially enjoy using the stories of ordinary individuals to evoke deep emotions and fulfill our viewers' experiential needs, which has resonated strongly," Zhu said.

The team’s efforts have paid off with many followers frequently commenting, and even going so far as saying they were "deeply moved to tears" and "amazed" by the videos. The strong resonance has encouraged Zhu's team to incorporate even more traditional Chinese cultural elements into their videos.

Zhu believes that young people's affection for traditional Chinese culture is encoded in their genes, and now their genes are being gradually activated through these videos, Zhu said.

According to Zhu, his team is primarily composed of individuals born after 1990 and 2000, and are all devoted to presenting the romance and righteous ardour unique to the Chinese.

Zhu's hometown, Meizhou township in Putian city, southeast China's Fujian Province, is the birthplace of the mythological Chinese sea goddess Mazu. He also grew up an ardent fan of local Puxian opera.

Zhu Tiexiong (right) plays the drum during a lion dance performance accompanied by a performance of Chinese folk art Datiehua, or molten iron fireworks, in a short video in November 2022. (File photo from Zhu Tiexiong)

Tales of the Mazu goddess aiding the vulnerable and the Monkey King battling demons inspired Zhu from a young age, planting the seeds for his own heroic aspirations and dreams.

"Every boy dreams of being a hero. As a child, the Monkey King was my hero idol," Zhu recounted.

Zhu epitomizes the trend in recent years of young Chinese who have emerged to reinvigorate traditional Chinese culture through innovative and modern recreations. In fact, many have achieved remarkable success in popularizing the country's rich cultural heritage.

Young people's burgeoning zeal for traditional Chinese culture stems from both its profound wisdom and artistic appeal as well as its enduring vitality, which instills cultural confidence in young Chinese, said Yang Chaoming, a professor at the Advanced Institute for Confucian Studies, Shandong University.