Unveiling the Real China: IShowSpeed's Adventure
In the era of information explosion, cultural exchanges between countries are becoming increasingly frequent, with social media serving as a window to showcase the charm of various nations. Recently, the well-known American internet celebrity "IShowSpeed," also known as "甲亢哥" (Jiā kàng Gē) during his journey to China, has created a global sensation by breaking Western stereotypes 刻板印象(kè bǎn yìn xiàng) about China with his firsthand experiences and unique perspective.
刻板印象(kè bǎn yìn xiàng),noun, stereotypes
Example:
- We should avoid making assumptions based on stereotypes.
我们应该避免根据刻板印象做出判断。
wǒ men yīng gāi bì miǎn gēn jù kè bǎn yìn xiàng zuò chū pàn duàn. - The movie challenges common stereotypes about gender roles.
这部电影挑战了关于性别角色的常见刻板印象。
zhè bù diàn yǐng tiǎo zhàn le guān yú xìng bié juésè de cháng jiàn kè bǎn yìn xiàng.
"IShowSpeed," whose real name is Daren Watkins, is a post-2000s online influencer with 37 million followers on YouTube. He is famous for his energetic live streams, expressive facial expressions, and exaggerated body language, earning him the affectionate nickname "甲亢哥" from Chinese netizens. Starting from 2022, he embarked on a global travel-broadcasting mode, visiting around 25 countries, and experiencing diverse cultures became a highlight of his live streams. On March 24th, he set foot on Chinese soil, commencing a thrilling and eye-opening journey across China.
For a long time, Western media has viewed China through a biased lens, portraying it as economically backward, technologically underdeveloped, and culturally mysterious and hard to comprehend. Such one-sided reporting led many Westerners to form stereotypical impressions of China, believing it to be filled with outdated buildings, conservative people, and a backward way of life. However, with the arrival of "IShowSpeed," a ray of light has pierced through this prejudiced world.
Upon his arrival in Shanghai, "IShowSpeed" was struck by the vibrancy of this cosmopolitan metropolis. The towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and convenient mobile payment methods were entirely different from his preconceived notions of China. Walking along the Bund, faced with the dazzling night view of the Huangpu River, he couldn't help but marvel at the splendor of Shanghai. Through his live stream, he showcased the modernity and vibrancy of Shanghai to a global audience. During his high-speed train journey at 350 kilometers per hour, he was amazed to find that even passing through tunnels, the 2K live stream remained smooth without any lagging, prompting him to exclaim, "China is winning!" This scene widely circulated on the internet, with many foreign netizens expressing astonishment at the advanced technology of Chinese high-speed trains and the efficient transportation system starkly different from the descriptions in Western media.
In Beijing, "IShowSpeed" climbed the Great Wall, experiencing the grandeur of this ancient structure; he strolled through the Forbidden City wearing a Northeastern-style robe, immersing himself in the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture. His rich expressions while tasting douzhi became a topic of amusement for netizens. Interacting warmly with local residents, taking photos together, holding hands, and singing songs, he revealed the warm hospitality of Chinese people to foreign audiences. While climbing the Great Wall, he met a Chinese individual live streaming, and the two interacted seamlessly, sharing the joy of the journey. This scene made overseas viewers realize that Chinese people are not abstract symbols but vibrant and friendly individuals full of vitality, similar to themselves.
His visit to the Shaolin Temple in Henan was fraught with twists and turns as "IShowSpeed" embarked on a challenging yet amusing journey of seeking tutelage. While wanting to learn the "Iron Cloth Shirt" technique, he was initially taken to a local martial arts school, and it took two hours before the "real master" appeared. During training, though grimacing in pain, he gleaned profound insights from the master's teachings like, "This is pain, but this is life; this is pain, but this is Shaolin; this is pain, but this is Kung Fu; this is pain, and this is you," delving into the profound philosophy of the East. He jokingly shouted, "Master, no need to hold back," until being hit with a Shaolin staff technique that left him with a "reaction meme." These series of scenes broadcasted live, showcased to foreign netizens the profoundness of Chinese martial arts and the cultural significance it holds, breaking away from their stereotype of martial arts merely existing in movies.
In Chongqing, "IShowSpeed" experienced the unique experience of taking the light rail through buildings, getting ecstatic over the magical 8D terrain that had him leaping between the platform and train doors. He encountered a dance group performing a surprising “faking it + zero-frame dancing” sequence, leaving him astounded. His interaction with a Donald Trump impersonator arranged by the Chongqing Culture & Tourism Bureau instantly boosted the program's popularity. Finally, he enjoyed the night view of Hongyadong from a cruise ship, and the Cyberpunk night views captured by drones had him jumping with excitement 激动(jī dòng), shocking countless online viewers. This trip to Chongqing showcased the unique charm and innovative vigor of Chinese cities, completely overturning Western stereotypes of Chinese urban areas.
激动(jī dòng),noun,excitement
Example:
- The crowd cheered in excitement when their team scored.
当球队得分时，人群激动地欢呼起来。
dāng qiú duì dé fēn shí, rén qún jī dòng de huān hū qǐ lái. - She couldn’t hide her excitement before the trip to Japan.
在去日本旅行前，她掩饰不住自己的激动。
zài qù rì běn lǚ xíng qián, tā yǎn shì bù zhù zìjǐ de jī dòng.
The captivating food and culture of Chengdu equally fascinated "IShowSpeed." He painted his face as a panda, sipped tea from a lidded bowl, tasted spicy ear roots, watched closely the face-changing performances of Sichuan Opera, and the fire breathing acts – his expression when eating hot pot, turning into a meme, tickled many. Embracing the Chinese netizens' playful term of “甲亢症状” (Jiā kàng Zhèng zhuàng), he experienced the charm of traditional Chinese medicine, receiving acupuncture treatment for headaches; the pulse diagnosis by the traditional Chinese doctor revealed no hyperthyroidism and good appetite. These experiences helped foreign netizens understand that China not only possesses a modern side but also boasts rich traditional culture and unique lifestyles, with the miraculous wonders of traditional Chinese medicine broadening their horizons.
"IShowSpeed's" journey in China, through his continuous live broadcasting, presented a genuine, diverse, and vibrant China to a global audience. Each of his live streams broke viewing records, accumulating over 20 million views globally, and the numbers are still climbing. His expressions, interactions, and encounters with Chinese people, like vivid stories, shattered the long-standing "filter of bias" constructed by Western media. In his live stream comments section, instead of prejudiced skepticism, there were messages filled with praise like "China is amazing" and "the people there are great," transforming it into a "huge China praise group."
"IShowSpeed's" journey in China was not just a personal travel broadcast but a successful cultural dissemination. Through grassroots communication, he showcased to the world a technologically advanced, culturally diverse, and friendly China, making a unique contribution in dispelling Western stereotypes about China. With more foreign friends like "IShowSpeed" stepping into China, experiencing its charm firsthand, the true image of China on the international stage will become increasingly clear, and the bridges of cultural exchange will grow ever wider.