bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Liya Su

A 40-year-old man in China who found his calling – teaching quantum mechanics on social media – after being unemployed for more than 20 years, has become an online sensation.
Li Wei, from Qinghai province in northwestern China, became popular for teaching science in an easy-to-understand way on his Douyin account @waqing.
Such is his popularity, he has accumulated 1.8 million followers.
Since graduating from Jinan University, in the southeastern province of Guangdong about two decades ago, he had been unemployed because he suffers from social anxiety, Dami Video reported.

“I don’t like dealing with people,” Li said.
He gained a bachelor’s degree in law 20 years ago, but he did not find employment in that field. Instead, he started a small retail business.
“I suffered a great failure,” he said.
The turning point in his career came two years ago when he joined his friend in the photovoltaic business and was surprised to find that lots of people have no knowledge of the technology.
Photovoltaic refers to a special electrical system that produces energy from a renewable and inexhaustible source, usually the sun.
With a strong desire to help people understand, Li came up with the idea of creating clips to teach science using simple everyday words free of jargon.
As he created more teaching videos, he began to realise he was good at it and expanded his subjects to include quantum mechanics and life sciences.
“I’m not an expert. I’m teaching by learning,” he said.
Before creating a video, Li spends at least three days on research.
Apart from eating and sleeping, he immerses himself in learning and seldom speaks during such intense periods.
Apart from the straightforward language he uses, his calm, unemotional voice appeals to fans of his videos.
“Many people say there isn’t any up and down in my voice, making it hypnotic. But they absorb everything while listening,” he said.
His video about the theory of relativity was one of his most popular, and he was proud of the positive online comments it received.

“Some said that, for the first time, they understood the concept of relativity. Others said that even those with a primary school education got it,” Li said.
“It inspires me a lot,” he added.
Li is now a full-time science blogger on Douyin.
The story has captivated mainland social media.
“God has opened a window for him. I hope he gets better and better,” one person said.
“Despite experiencing a series of failures, he finally found his calling. How wonderful,” said another.
“It’s never too late to do what we enjoy,” a third person said.


Chinese woman wrapped in large plastic bag after hospital discharge post-childbirth – but why?

Famed China hotel mocked for charging US$40 for coffee and cake, says price includes tour

China trans woman faces legal challenges 3 years after firm dismissal for gender expression

China Olympic champions Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng stun table tennis fans with ‘retirement’

Trending in China

Shy China science man, 40, finds calling after  jobless 2 decades by teaching quantum mechanics on social media

A introverted man in China, who has been unemployed for the last 20 years, has finally found his calling by teaching difficult science subjects in an easy and accessible way on mainland social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo

Li Wei, pictured with his two children, endures intense periods of learning before he takes to the internet to teach. Photo: Weibo

The shy, late developer, who admits to having been a failure, has now found his calling as an online teacher. Photo: Weibo

Animal-loving China woman sacrifices life  in US with daughter to shelter 2,470 stray dogs and cats, incurs US$70,000 in debt over 15 years

The story of a 66-year-old woman in China who has spent the past 15 years looking after thousands of stray dogs and cats, sacrificing her family life and running up debts of US$70,000 in the process, has captivated mainland social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

Dong Shuzhen gave up her clothing business to devote her life to saving stray cats and dogs. Photo: Weibo 

Dong employs a team of 11 workers to make sure the strays are fed and cared for. Photo: Weibo

China shop owner who insulted tourist for asking prices and not buying anything feels wrath of police

A woman tourist in China who was mocked by a shop owner because she asked what his prices were but did not buy anything, called in the police who ordered the temporary closure of the business. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

The shop owner insulted the woman, who was with her partner, far right, and a fierce argument erupted ending in the police being called. Photo: Douyin

Confrontations over forced shopping often break out when tour groups visit travel hotspots in China. Photo: Shutterstock

China teacher turned influencer famous for cute kindergarten song caught up in US$7,000-for-sex rumours, calls in police

A “girl next-door” kindergarten teacher in China who went viral thanks to videos of her singing sweetly to her pupils, has called in the police, claiming she has become the victim of online sex-for-sale rumours. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

The former nursery school teacher, who is now an online celebrity, says she is determined to dispel the sex-for-sale rumours about her. Photo: Weibo

Huang said she collected lots of evidence and has turned it all over to the police so they can investigate. Photo: Weibo

Renowned Taiwan musician uses AI to create digital version of only daughter who died at 22 to sing happy birthday to grieving mother

A famous Taiwan singer has recreated his late daughter who died of cancer using artificial intelligence technology so that she could sing a birthday song to her grieving mother. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/Facebook

Musician Tino Bao said creating the digital version of his late daughter helped him, and his wife, while they were grieving their loss. Photo: Weibo

Tino Bao used photos and recordings of his daughter, Bao Rong, to recreate her in digital form. Photo: Weibo

Crazed China teacher who smashed girl’s head on desk, punched boy in face is suspended, police launch probe after video of attacks goes viral

A crazed schoolteacher in China who physically assaulted two of her pupils in a sustained and violent attack has been suspended as police investigate the incident. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

The out-of-control teacher is seen pulling the hair of one of her female pupils as the child stands silently. Photo: Baidu

A boy student is punched in the face by the maths teacher who has been suspended as police investigate the incident. Photo: Baidu

News

People & Culture

Man graduates university, suffers social anxiety, thinks he is great failure
Joins business of friend, makes ‘easy’, engaging science teaching videos


A man in China who regarded himself as a failure because he had not had a job since getting a law degree more than two decades ago, is now an internet star who makes complex science topics accessible.


Science

China education

Shy China science man, 40, finds calling after jobless 2 decades by teaching quantum mechanics on social media

Man graduates university, suffers social anxiety, thinks he is great failure Joins business of friend, makes ‘easy’, engaging science teaching videos

Man graduates university, suffers social anxiety, thinks he is great failure

Joins business of friend, makes ‘easy’, engaging science teaching videos