What’s on Weibo is a reader-supported publication, run by Manya Koetse ( @manyapan ), offering independent analysis of social ...

Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to ...

From foreign anti-smoking bloggers to the “Modern Lin Zexu,” China is seeing a rise in online anti-smoking activism.

This is What's on Weibo's top 3 of what's trending (Aug 12–13): public outrage over a fatal stabbing in Nanchang, the ...

China Trend Watch: What’s Trending on Weibo Today (Aug 11-12, 2025) 🔥 Top 5: What’s Trending in China Today Stay updated with China Trend Watch by What’s on Weibo. Quick overview of today’s top Weibo ...

These days have been filled with tension and anger in the city of Jiangyou (江油市), Sichuan, after a rare, large-scale protest broke out following public outrage over a severe bullying incident and how ...

Dear Reader Waiting for Karma in the Maskpark Scandal From Telegram to Shaolin Temple, the two scandals that rocked Chinese social media this week.

This week, news about a well-known Chinese monk going off the Buddhist path has triggered many discussions on Chinese social media. The story revolves around Shi Yongxin (释永信), the head monk at ...

O n July 16, locals in Yuhang (余杭), a district of Hangzhou, noticed something fishy about their running water. It had turned brown and smelled unpleasant. From residential compounds in Liangzhu to ...

After six students drowned in a mine tank, social media users question safety precautions and media framing.

We’re introducing What’s on Weibo Chapters—monthly themes that will allow us to dig deeper into the stories behind the hashtags. Each month, we will dive into one of our six key areas: Digital Life in ...