Ancient fandom

Long confined to textbooks and classrooms, Chinese history is now being rediscovered by young people and reshaped into a vibrant online fandom.

Across social media platforms, a growing number of young netizens have become "historical fans". Their "idols" span dynasties and disciplines — from heroes of the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) to social reformers of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and from political strategists to literary giants.

Unlike traditional history enthusiasts who mainly read and discuss texts, these fans engage with historical figures much as they would with modern celebrities.

At the tomb of Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, for example, visitors often leave bottles of wine, a nod to his legendary fondness for drinking. At the burial site of Cao Cao, a powerful warlord of the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), some visitors have even left ibuprofen tablets — a playful reference to historical accounts of his chronic headaches.

For many young people, this fascination goes beyond nostalgia, offering emotional connection and personal inspiration. Su Weimin, a sophomore at Hunan Normal University, found encouragement in Fan Zhongyan's famous words: "Better to speak and die than to live in silence." As a personal tribute, Su created fan-made comics about Fan and even produced a life-size standee, which he brought to Fan's tomb.

Yet observers note that, like any fandom, history-based communities risk drifting into distortion or oversimplification. To counter this, many netizens stress the importance of reading primary texts, as this not only deepens understanding of the past but also fosters critical thinking and independent judgment.

Rose-tinted past

It is only the beginning of 2026, yet social media is already looking back a full decade. Across TikTok and Instagram, netizens are posting photos and short clips from 2016, all bathed in rose-tinted filters and adorned with flower crowns.

This emerging trend, dubbed "2026 is the new 2016", began as a Gen Z joke about how quickly time passes. It has since evolved into a viral wave of online nostalgia.

Many recall the summer when the game Pokemon Go sent players outdoors in search of Pikachu, encouraging real-world interaction rather than the largely video-driven, solitary scrolling that is prevalent today. Others reminisce about a time when they wore shimmery makeup, pencil skirts, and knee-high boots to meet friends while listening to chart-topping pop songs like Closer by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey.

"What I'm getting from this 2016 throwback is that everyone used to be so fun, so carefree, and so at ease," one netizen wrote on X. "Now everything is heavily curated, and no one wants to be silly anymore."

Observers note that the trend also reflects broader social and political shifts. The year 2016 was significant, marked by the US presidential election and the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union.

"People find comfort in the culture of 2016 as a kind of last moment of joy before the politics of our time began to overshadow cultural life," Dustin Kidd, a sociology professor and pop culture expert at Temple University, told CNN.