The newly-launched social media account of a Chinese math prodigy has become a digital shrine for students and parents seeking both inspiration and blessings amid the nationwide focus on China’s annual college entrance exam, the gaokao.

Math prodigy Wei Dongyi joined short video platform Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, on June 4, triggering an online frenzy with his account attracting more than 24 million followers within a few days. A four-second self-introductory video he posted has attracted more than 14 million likes as of Monday.

Wei, born in 1991, hails from eastern China’s Shandong province and was born into an academically accomplished family. Influenced by his father, a mathematics professor, Wei showed exceptional talent for math from an early age. As a teenager, he earned perfect scores and gold medals in two consecutive International Mathematical Olympiads. He was later admitted to the prestigious Peking University, where he completed his Ph.D. and now serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics.

Though long respected in academic circles, Wei gained fame among the general public after a street interview with him went viral in 2021. In the video, he appeared with unkempt hair, a shy demeanor, and carried a large bottle of water and a bag of steamed buns — an image that defied the typical stereotype of a professor. The striking contrast between his modest appearance and exceptional mathematical talent captivated audiences and earned him widespread admiration.

On Chinese social media, Wei’s modest lifestyle and extraordinary brilliance have earned him nicknames like “God Wei” and “Sweeping Monk.” The latter is a reference to a legendary character from Chinese martial arts fiction — an unassuming old monk who performs humble tasks such as sweeping the monastery’s floors, but is secretly a martial arts master of unparalleled skill and wisdom.

Online fame has also brought the low-profile scientist excessive, sometimes unwanted attention. Some unscrupulous businesses and marketing accounts secretly filmed Wei without his consent and even used his image to publish books. Others have used AI technology to create deepfake livestreams of the professor to sell products.

Wei’s cousin, who helps manage his Douyin account, told domestic media they created it to allow Wei to share mathematical knowledge and help the reclusive mathematician better connect with the world. Another key reason is to protect Wei’s image rights and prevent others from exploiting his name for commercial gain, his cousin added.

Having long kept a low profile, Wei’s sudden appearance on social media has again turned him into an unlikely internet sensation. “We knew he was popular, but we didn’t expect it to be this intense. We thought maybe one million followers at most on the first day — we didn’t think it would blow up like this,” Wei’s cousin said.

Many users were so surprised by the video that they reported it to the platform as AI-generated content. Upon seeing that several of his teeth are missing in the video, others expressed concern about Wei’s health. Responding to the comments, Wei’s family said that he had undergone treatment for periodontitis but requires further examinations.

Amidst the attention Wei’s account has received, Douyin cracked down on spin-off accounts, which used names like “Wei Dongyi Select,” “God Wei,” and “God Wei’s Girlfriend” to try to capitalize on his fame to attract traffic and generate profits.

The opening of Wei’s account also came at a significant time, coinciding with China’s rigorous gaokao university entrance exam, which millions of high school students sat across the country over the weekend. The comment section under Wei’s video quickly transformed into a digital shrine flooded with messages of hope and prayers for good luck.

“God Wei, may I share in your good fortune — I wish for my daughter to be admitted to her dream university after the gaokao,” wrote one upvoted comment for the video. “Hope I ace math tomorrow,” reads another.

Held annually in early June, the gaokao largely determines students’ access to higher education and can significantly influence their future career prospects. Social events, from public transportation to entertainment activities, are often adjusted or rescheduled to give priority to the exam. This year, around 13.35 million students registered for the exam.

Editor: Tom Arnstein.

(Header image: A user watches Wei Dongyi’s recent Douyin video in Zhengzhou, Henan province, June 8, 2025. VCG)