China top influencer Li Ziqi angers fans with ‘hypocritical’ advice not to become KOLs
Li’s recent comeback video refurbishing grandma’s wardrobe with lacquer art gains 12 million followers on Douyin in a week
As China’s leading influencer, Li Ziqi, made a comeback after a three-year absence from the internet, a video clip from an old interview aimed at dissuading young people from pursuing careers as online influencers went viral, igniting intense debate.
On November 12, Li updated her social media with two videos, officially marking her return after more than 1,200 days away due to a legal dispute with her former agent, Weinian.
The first video of the vlogger, renowned for her idyllic craftwork, showcases the painstaking process of refurbishing her grandmother’s wardrobe using lacquer art.
In this clip, she employs the special technique known as “carved lacquer with hidden patterns”, which she recently learned from Chengdu lacquer art inheritor, Yin Liping.
Li undertook every aspect of the project herself, from climbing the lacquer tree to collect its sap to the intricate carving and lacquering.
After six months and overcoming one setback, she successfully created a stunning lacquer art wardrobe that appears unremarkable in the dark but reveals a radiant golden qilin pattern when illuminated.
