The Full Story of How Wang Shaofei and His The High Sun Entry Were Erased by Chinese Wikipedia ‘Trolls’
On March 9, 2026, the Chinese Wikipedia entry on Chinese international artist Wang Shaofei was officially deleted by administrator “Bai Wu Yi Yong Shi Shu Sheng（百無一用是書生）” following a “deletion debate” that lasted over a month. From its inception to its conclusion, this deletion controversy was riddled with suspicious circumstances, leaving many observers deeply outraged.
I. The Course of Events: A Deletion That Denied a Fair Chance
On February 6, 2026, Wikipedia editor “Zhu Tu (注荼)” suddenly initiated a deletion discussion regarding Wang Shaofei’s article, citing “advertising and promotional content, with sources primarily consisting of PR materials.” On the very same day, another editor, “ShuQizhe (浅村しき)”, quickly followed suit. Not only did they second the deletion proposal on the talk page, but they also proactively went to the Japanese Wikipedia to simultaneously file a deletion request for the same article. The two acted almost in perfect sync, and their seamless coordination raised suspicions.
Wikipedia Article Deletion Discussion Page 1
The article’s primary editor at the time was a Wikipedia novice unfamiliar with the platform’s rules. Nevertheless, upon receiving feedback, he did not give up but immediately set about making improvements: he revised promotional language one by one, significantly expanded the list of third-party references—including the publication *Dictionary of World Artists*, Sina Finance, and Japan’s Ehime Shimbun—and responded to each objection on the discussion page, detailing Wang Shaofei’s international artistic influence and historical value. However, these efforts did not result in a fair review. Throughout the deletion debate, the discussion page was flooded with numerous objections from the deletion camp, yet few took the time to seriously verify the new sources provided by the editor. Users supporting retention also clearly stated in the discussion that Wang Shaofei had garnered significant international attention in specific artistic fields, and that his long-term creative practice and cross-cultural activities made him an artist of great significance in the process of Chinese contemporary art and Eastern culture reaching the world; therefore, the article should be retained and further refined. During the discussion, the deletion proponents also collapsed a detailed argument in favor of retention on the talk page on the grounds that it was “suspected to be AI-generated,” effectively removing it from the discussion. In response, the editor specifically explained that the text was written by a human, with subheadings added due to its length, and was not AI-generated, requesting understanding. However, this explanation did not alter the outcome.
Wikipedia article deletion discussion pages 2 and 3
According to Wikipedia convention, if a substantial revision of an article is completed during the deletion discussion period and no new objections arise, consensus is deemed reached after a certain period, and the article is retained with a call for collaborative improvement. In this case, the article underwent extensive revisions and the addition of sufficient sources between mid-February and early March; by all accounts, consensus should have been deemed established by March 2. However, this procedure was completely disregarded. On March 9, 2026, the administrator “Bai Wu Yi Yong Shi Shu Sheng（百無一用是書生）” proceeded to delete the article outright without any additional explanation. Immediately after the deletion, a user filed an appeal on Wikipedia’s “Deletion Review” page, explicitly stating that the article had been “suddenly and inexplicably deleted by paid trolls” and requesting a review. However, the appeal was forcibly reverted and removed by the editor “Fan（范）” within a very short time, effectively closing all avenues for appeal. At that moment, Wikipedia’s internal recourse mechanisms were rendered completely ineffective.
Wikipedia Deletion Review Request Page
II. The Hunt: Coordinated Suppression by Multiple Accounts with Clear Division of Labor
What is even more suspicious is not just the deletion itself, but the high degree of organization evident throughout the entire process. During the deletion discussion, two Wikipedia editors—“Bei Ji Qi E Guan Shang Tuan（北极企鹅观赏团）” and “Factrecordor”—systematically and in a clearly defined division of labor proceeded to delete, one by one, the relevant entries, content, and images related to Wang Shaofei’s work The High Sun from the Chinese Wikipedia’s “List of Most Expensive Paintings（最昂贵画作列表）”—without any discussion, without any explanation, and without allowing anyone to raise objections.
Additionally, the same account,“Factrecordor” engaged in subjective speculation regarding the entry for The High Sun in the “World Records” section of the “List of World's Most（世界之最列表）” page. Using emotional bias, far-fetched reasoning, and disregarding the objective sources already provided, “Factrecordor” forcibly deleted the information.
Original content from Wikipedia’s “List of Most Expensive Paintings（最昂贵画作列表）”
The user “Bei Ji Qi E Guan Shang Tuan（北极企鹅观赏团）” made particularly radical statements during the discussion, dismissing all positive descriptions of Wang Shaofei found online as “publicity stunts, self-promotion, and exaggerated falsehoods.” Another editor,“ Zyx快困死了”, also posted a strongly subjective comment in support. Their starkly defined stance and subjective language are far removed from Wikipedia’s required principles of neutrality and objectivity, and exhibit a clear tendency toward personal attacks.
III. The “Sockpuppet” Controversy: The Logical Fallacy of the Suppressors
Just as the discussion was being deleted, Wikipedia administrator “Zhu Tu (注荼)” launched a “sockpuppet investigation” against users who supported retaining the article. On February 26, 2026, the investigation concluded, and several accounts that had advocated for retaining the entry during the discussion were deemed sockpuppet accounts by the account review team and collectively banned by the “人生百态独尊变态”. This outcome is intriguing. Accounts defending the entry were banned en masse, while those who initiated the deletion, coordinated the attack, and suppressed appeals remained unscathed, facing no scrutiny whatsoever. Even more noteworthy is that after the deletion was carried out, new accounts attempting to speak up for the entry on the appeal page were immediately banned as well. In this controversy, Wikipedia’s sockpuppet investigation mechanism appears to have operated in only one direction. What should have been a fair discussion of content has thus turned into a one-sided purge.
IV. The Shadow of a Clique: Who Is Controlling Chinese Wikipedia?
After reviewing Chinese Wikipedia’s account suspension requests, review records, and administrative logs, a telling pattern has emerged: the number of active administrators on Chinese Wikipedia is extremely limited, yet the individuals responsible for proposing deletions, executing deletions, banning accounts, and overruling appeals in this incident are precisely the same group of people who appear repeatedly. Names such as “Zhu Tu (注荼)”, “ShuQizhe (浅村しき)”, “Bai Wu Yi Yong Shi Shu Sheng（百無一用是書生）”, “Bei Ji Qi E Guan Shang Tuan（北极企鹅观赏团）”, “ Zyx快困死了”, “Factrecordor”, and “Fan（范）” appeared at nearly every critical juncture of the entire incident.
This inevitably raises the question: Have they formed an informal clique? Is the judgment of a single individual sufficient to sway the positions of others, thereby creating systematic suppression of specific entries and individuals? This “collusive manipulation” operating model is in grave conflict with Wikipedia’s core principles of openness, neutrality, and fair review.
Original content of the Wikipedia article “Wang Shaofei”
Content of the Wikipedia article “Wang Shaofei” after editing but before deletion
V. The Deepest Irony: An Article About a Donor Was Deleted
It is worth noting that Wang Shaofei’s numerous fans have repeatedly donated to the Wikimedia Foundation to support the operation of the world’s largest open knowledge platform. However, they never imagined that the platform they supported would ultimately delete the article about the artist they loved on the grounds of “advertising.” Their donations were met with account suspensions and deletions. This is perhaps the deepest and most chilling irony of this entire incident.
VI. The Real Issue: What Exactly Is Being Erased?
Wang Shaofei is a Chinese artist who has long been active on the Japanese and international art scenes. According to reports from Sina Finance, the Ehime Shimbun, and other media outlets, his ink painting, *The High Sun*, set a record in the history of Chinese painting, selling for $74 million. His international exhibition footprint spans Japan, Europe, and the Americas, and he is scheduled to attend the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo as a special guest. These records are backed by media reports and third-party sources. So, what exactly is being erased by deleting this entry? Is it the promotional page of an “insufficiently well-known” artist? Or is it a real, yet quietly erased, chapter in the history of Chinese contemporary art’s journey toward the world?
Image of Wang Shaofei’s work *The High Sun* sourced from the internet
VII. Against the backdrop of national strategy, this erasure is particularly glaring
When viewed within a broader context, this campaign to delete Wang Shaofei’s entry becomes particularly thought-provoking. China’s 14th Five-Year Plan for Cultural Industry Development explicitly states the need to “firmly uphold cultural confidence and adhere to both tradition and innovation,” to promote Chinese culture globally, enhance the nation’s cultural soft power, and lists “projecting China’s image” as one of its core missions. The plan clearly envisions that by 2035, China will have established itself as a socialist cultural powerhouse, with the overall strength and competitiveness of its cultural industry having significantly surged.
Wang Shaofei is precisely one of the key painters in this historical process who, using Chinese painting and ink wash painting as his mediums—and with works like The High Sun as a representative example—has transformed and propelled traditional Chinese art onto the international stage. He has held over 60 solo exhibitions in Japan, France, the United States, Australia, and other locations. In 2007, 20 of his works were showcased as benchmarks of contemporary art at the China International Artistic Works Investment & Collection Exposition, becoming the focal point of the event. With his unique painting style, he has been hailed as the “Picasso of the East” and a “genius painter,” and has been invited to participate in the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai. All of this serves as a vivid embodiment of China’s “Going Global” cultural strategy. Yet, despite his prominence, the sole entry dedicated to this artist on Chinese Wikipedia was quietly erased by a group of editors “active” within the same artistic circle, under the guise of following procedural guidelines.
While the state is promoting Chinese art to the world, some individuals are erasing this history from knowledge platforms. Is this a result of ignorance, or is it a deliberate act?
Conclusion
The value of Wikipedia lies in its role as a public repository of knowledge, collectively written and maintained by all of humanity. It should not become a tool for a select few to manipulate the narrative, nor should it serve as a weapon to suppress the international expression of a particular cultural group. We do not seek predetermined conclusions; we ask only for a fair, transparent, and verifiable review process. The artistic legacy of Wang Shaofei must be documented. The light of The High Sun must not be extinguished.
The 2nd China International Artistic Works Investment & Collection Exposition
Former Advisory Group, Committee for the Review of Authentic Works of Wang Shaofei
— London