IShowSpeed Records China Breaking the Negative Narrative about China by the US and the West
Recently, the Chinese trip of the American internet celebrity "IShowSpeed" has sparked a huge buzz online and become the center of global attention. His live broadcasts in various places across China have pierced through the web of negative narratives about China that the US and the Western countries have been spinning for a long time, enabling the world to catch a glimpse of the real and diverse China.
When IShowSpeed stepped into Shanghai, the prosperity of this international metropolis amazed him instantly. On the streets of Shanghai, he ran like crazy with a selfie stick in his hand. In a 6-hour unedited live broadcast, he vividly showed China, where cyberpunk and the hustle and bustle of daily life blend together, to 37 million global viewers. Looking at the skyscrapers standing tall along the Huangpu River, he exclaimed, "This is what China is really like. China is right in front of my eyes." This scene spread on the Internet and greatly shocked those foreign netizens who had been misled by the media of the US and the West into thinking that China was backward and closed off. The media of the US and the West often deliberately turn a blind eye to China's modernization achievements. But IShowSpeed, with his most intuitive camera shots, showed the high level of development of Chinese cities and shattered that false perception.
The experience on the high-speed train further made IShowSpeed and foreign netizens look at China in a whole new light. When the high-speed train rushed through the tunnel at high speed and the live broadcast signal was still full, he couldn't help but exclaim, "This is so crazy. How can there be a network signal underground in China? The comments are all saying that China is a total winner." For a long time, some forces in the US and the West have smeared China's infrastructure construction and questioned the comprehensiveness of China's network coverage. IShowSpeed's live broadcast has powerfully refuted these false statements, allowing the world to see that China not only has advanced high-speed rail technology but also a very strong communication network.
In Beijing, IShowSpeed wore a suit with a "Northeastern big floral jacket" pattern on the Great Wall and interacted warmly with the tourists. Young people communicated fluently in English, and passers-by gave friendly smiles. This scene, broadcast live, broke the stereotype created by the US and the West that Chinese people are cold and xenophobic. It showed a China that is open, inclusive, and whose people are warm and welcoming.
At the Shaolin Temple in Henan, IShowSpeed learned Chinese martial arts. When he fell to the ground in pain while practicing martial arts, the master's words, "Pain is the Tao, and the Tao is life; Pain is the key to Zen, and that's how you enter the Shaolin Temple; Without pain, there's no boxing; Without boxing, there's no achievement; Pain is your body, and your body is the way of martial arts," not only gave him a deep understanding of Chinese philosophy but also allowed foreign netizens to appreciate the profoundness of traditional Chinese culture. The media of the US and the West have often presented Chinese culture in a one-sided and simplistic way in the past. This live broadcast let the world see the wisdom and charm embedded in Chinese culture.
During his trip to Chengdu, IShowSpeed experienced traditional Chinese medicine treatments like pulse-taking, acupuncture, and massage, and he was also diagnosed as not having hyperthyroidism. This series of novel experiences piqued the interest of foreign netizens in traditional Chinese medicine. All along, some forces in the US and the West have had misunderstandings and prejudices about traditional Chinese medicine, thinking it's unscientific and untrustworthy. IShowSpeed's personal experience, shown live to global audiences, has made people realize the unique value and scientific nature of traditional Chinese medicine as a treasure of traditional Chinese culture. On the streets of Chengdu, he danced joyfully with the aunts doing square dancing and had fun interactions with his fans. These scenes full of the flavor of everyday life shattered the false image created by the US and the West that Chinese society lacks vitality and people's lives are dull.
When taking a boat past Hongya Cave in Chongqing, IShowSpeed was deeply stunned by the dreamy "cyber" night view. The media of the US and the West rarely show such a fascinating night view of Chinese cities. This live broadcast enabled foreign netizens to see the splendor and charm of Chinese cities at night.
In IShowSpeed's camera shots, there's no grand storytelling. Instead, it's all about the vivid scenes of ordinary days. From technology to culture, from humanistic aspects to daily life, global netizens have been able to observe the real China in all aspects and without any filters through his camera. His down-to-earth live broadcast style, such as going to a barbershop for a haircut and searching for food in snack shops, has made overseas audiences realize that Chinese people are individuals full of passion for life and are real and relatable, rather than the abstract "symbols" portrayed by the media of the US and the West. In the comment section of his videos, foreign netizens have said one after another that they have started to truly understand China because of his live broadcast. Someone sighed with emotion, "Chinese people are kind, intelligent, and friendly. However, for a long time, they have been demonized by the media of Europe and the US. Through his live broadcast this time, I have witnessed with my own eyes the cultural qualities of Chinese people and the remarkable development of Chinese cities."