Chinese actor, Zhang Zhehan (张哲瀚), rose to mainstream fame after starring in YOUKU’s hit series, “Word of Honor”. All that vanished on an August night when netizens dug up his old pictures visiting shrines dedicated to Japan war criminals and atrocities and other Japan related controversies. This led to Zhang Zhehan being accused of being a Japanophile, pro-Japan, and a traitor to China.
While Zhang Zhehan apologized and claimed ignorance for his actions, the CAPA and state newspaper, People’s Daily, rejected his apology and explanation and called for his boycott from the industry. Zhang Zhehan was subsequently wiped off from the Chinese internet — brand deals terminated, social media accounts, music and works removed, name scrubbed from his works, etc.
Afterwards, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) started the “Qinglang” – clean the internet initiative due to a slew of heavy scandals that transpired since April. The CAC and the NRTA issued new guidelines to ensure any artist with a bad track record or any scandal would not be able to work in the entertainment industry again. On November 23, Zhang Zhehan’s name was on the CAPA’s list of banned artists.
However, four months later, things might have taken a turn for the better. On December 24, it was discovered tv and film producer and director of the “Golden Shield Television Center”, which is tied to the Central Military Commission, Li Xuezheng (李学政), posted a receipt from the Beijing Chaoyang District Public Security Bureau showing they had finally accepted Zhang Zhehan’s case for defamation. Li Xuezheng expressed that because of the immense amount of online bullying and public opinion against Zhang Zhehan in the past few months, it led to his case not being accepted by the authorities. He said, “He lost any legal remedial channels a normal citizen possessed.”
Li Xuezheng elaborated that after Zhang Zhehan discussed with legal experts, the malicious slander and infringement he suffered can be considered criminal behavior. After encouragement from relevant parties, Zhang Zhehan reported his case for defamation with the Beijing police. The receipt shows Zhang Zhehan’s name and the Beijing Chaoyang District police’s acceptance of his case dated December 24.
Li Xuezheng also said there is hope for the investigation for the criminal case to start and one for a civil case to start soon.
Credit: Weibo (1)
Zhang Zhehan will never be able to comeback to entertainment cycle even if his name is restored. Many Chinese netizens later on have found out and know that he never entered the shrine, but just took pictures on the cherry blossom garden.
The main problem with ZZH downfall is actually because of his own behavior who didn’t act wisely when his fwo factions of his fans were quarelled. ZZH rose to fame after the film The Word of Honor, a BL theme series. And many fans love him and expect him to a gay –as they’re so into the BL theme. These faction is called the CP fans. While the other fans, they’re happily accept ZZH as a normal guy – this faction is just called as ZZH’s fans. The case started when there’s a new fan who knew nothing about ZZH posted on Weibo and asked if ZZH was a gay, or a straight guy. Then ZZH’s fan answered that he’s a straight guy. But then CP fan said that ZZH was a gay – just like his role on the film. Then the arguments started, and the ZZH’s fan posted a picture of ZZH with his alleged girlfriend, and even disclosed that ZZH had dated this girl, etc. The two factions then had a big argumentation on weibo. And ZZH instead of stepping up to calm down the situation, put the blame on the fans group leaders who he accused of leaking his personal information and even threatened them to court. These fans group leaders became furious to ZZH whom they considered as ungrateful. Please be noted that in China fan groups leaders will organized their fans members to buy products that are endorsed by their idols, buying ratings, etc. They really spend a lot of money to popularize their idols. Of course this ZZH’s behavior upset his fans groups leaders. Therefore, from loving him, they started to against him. The two factions later on become so pissed off and instead of promoting good things of ZZH, they started to leak out all of his jerk behaviors – including the rumor about ZZH’s entering the shrine.
Many people in the entertainment cycle also had known that ZZH had a bad reputation. Although it has been clarified that he didn’t enter the shrine, almost 90% of his fans have already got so pissed off by his behavior, and many bosses and leaders in the industry had also pissed off by him. So yeah, he may get his name restored, but he could only dream that he could return to entertainment industry.
Well, in theory he could make a comeback, if there’s any political leader or the party back him. So, let’s see.
where’s the proof for all this? you should refrain from making accusations and turning this issue to some petty fandom war. “almost 90%” did you create a poll to get this number? Please state facts, not some hearsays from douban and weibo.
TROLLLLLLLLL in the dungeon 😂 Are you trying to hit the target of smearing before the new year? Here: 💰💵 Now go live in peace. And, I know you don’t understand this concept but, also let others live in peace. Also, don’t be unpatriotic when Li Xucheng is fighting for the procedural justice that has been denied to a victim in this country. People like you are seriously a stigma to this country.
May you have a better (conscientious) year.
I think it’s about time that people realize that they can’t remain anonymous forever. I can’t tell who has more awful the mainlanders who visits Auschwitz Concentration Camp laughing, doing peace poses among other stupid poses or him.
Errr, while I think people’s reaction to ZZH’s past actions is exaggerated, too punishing and too much for the sake of piling on, but your comparison is a bit off. It’s maybe more like, what if mainlanders were visiting SS officers graves, smiling, paying respect to them and doing the hitler’s salut 😅. Again, my comment is not meant to be mean or anything 😅
So I normally visit Auschwitz once a year as grandchild of a woman who survived the Auschwitz camp. Now when I say “stupid poses” I mean I mean doing the Hitler sign in a place where people died because of their race and their age didn’t matter.
Going to be my last reply. I’m sorry what happened to your family, but I think you still missed my point. Or maybe I wasn’t clear. Auschwitz now is a place to honour and commemorate the victims of the Nazi’s and SS’officers. ZZH allegedly went to a shrine that honour and commemorate the equivalent of SS’s officers. Imagine Tom Holland paying respect to Josef Mengele, Himmler, Eichmann etc…That’s what some Chinese people are accusing ZZH of and were incredible mad at. That’s why I said your metaphor was a bit off, nothing more, nothing less. I also think we shouldn’t do Oppressive Olympics here. What happened to Jewish people during two world wars is unspeakable and unforgivable cruel, but people around the world suffered. Asian people (not just Chinese people) happened to suffer under the Japanese rule at that time. Look up unit 731 (disappearing of loved ones for human experimentations). A lot of the comfort women victims are telling their stories and it’s chilling what had happened to them. What happened to African people during colonialism is horrendous and unforgivable too. Like I’ve said, Chinese netizens are def overreacting to the whole ZZH thing, and I can totally believe mainlanders being insensitive while visiting Auschwitz, but I don’t like the implications of one suffering being worse than the other. I’m also sorry about being nitpick-y about metaphors 😅
ZZH has said (as told by Li Xuecheng) he never entered the shrine. Chinese people are mad about a fabricated deed. It’s the Chinese people who have been lied to, repeatedly, about the whole situation. Every time that is left out of conversation, trolls win.
just to clarify since 38jiejie didnt, that he never entered the shrine area. he took photos infron of the cherry blossom trees. the spot is well known to be a popular and highly recommended (by tourists and Chinese media) destination for cherry blossom viewing in the spring.
GOOD. About damn time. Poor guy has experienced unspeakable amount of cyber-violence and real life abuse. May he get justice and may everyone who contributed to his suffering (be it a small scale troll or a giant platform) face the sword of justice >:( Trolls were constantly posting, even on gossip sites, about how horrible a person he is. May their karma bite them where it hurts >:(
I really feel bad for him , because it’s not even his fault all this happened . Like all tourists take pics when they travel to a new country without actually knowing history. Also , I’m sure the netizens who defamed him may have done they same thing , but they are good at only defaming
I hope those bully get what they deserve. I have never seen so many antis posts about him leading to the whole fall out. The whole things felt very much like an orchestra attacks. Those people acted as if normal tourists wouldn’t take picture near that shrine.
It one thing to look at someone posts history to get a sense of what kind of things they like but to go through them with a microscope is totally a different ballgame.