
As Xiao Zhan recovers from the AO3 controversy and finally stepped into the public eye in an interview, his fans have shown him an outpour of support. On May 9, Xiao Zhan took the stage after his months long hiatus to perform for a special show for International Nurses Day on Beijing TV where he performed a song as tribute to medical personnel.
However, it seems that another issue has cropped up quickly to invite much criticism. On May 10, the internet broke with some clips of teachers who have gathered their students in support of Xiao Zhan. In the video, the elementary school kids can be heard yelling: “Xiao Zhan gege (older brother) you’re great, we like, charge!” Another clip had a teacher asking the students, “Xiao Zhan is my what?” The Kids yell, “boyfriend!”
That same night, Xiao Zhan made his stance clear at the first instance when he took to Weibo to say, “Please listen to me carefully one more time! I hope that everyone can put their school, work and lives before chasing after celebrities. Study well, work hard, Do your best to fulfill your responsibilities and obligations, abide by professional standards and industry boundaries. I don’t need your yingyuan.” Yingyuan (应援) is an internet slang for the different ways fans can support their idols. Some examples where fans engage in fan support can be when they give their idols gifts or fan clubs that organize major events such as pooling money to supply their idol’s entire filming crew with food and goodies.

On May 13, China’s official newspaper People’s Daily wrote a piece to condemn the incident of a grade school teacher who arranged for the class to dance in support of a celebrity. It stated that the school is a place for teaching and not a factory for fans to support their idols. Children’s education affects the country’s future and should not be used as a tool to support their idol. The education bureau has met with the principal and the teacher has already been suspended.
The same night, Xiao Zhan echoed the sentiments when he shared the Weibo post from People’s Daily including part of its caption that said, “Professional boundaries cannot be broken, the circle of reason cannot be broken, fandoms cannot encapsulate everything.”

Source: 1
Anonymous
He finally took a stand against his fans. Should have done it earlier. He's in his comeback campaign and the fans behaviour are not helping at all.
Anonymous
What the heck lol …. I can't imagine any teachers doing that xD
Anonymous
His fans are really crazy…..they are doing everything in their power to make the situation worst.
Anonymous
Done what earlier? About A03? A03 is not even as important as shit. You can't compare something useless than shit next to something important. He can choose WHEN to voice out for which problem, just like how you are entitled to say whatever you want to say. But it seems A03 is not worthy of anybody's time. There is no harm in that stupid thing being gone. He seems to only speak when it's worth it. Like about He Jiong and also this topic. These are REAL problems to talk about. And he's not against his fans. He said he doesn't need their support. He's not speaking to them as fans, he's speaking to them as people.
He doesn't own his fans, he can choose to (or not to) say anything to them and they also have their freedom to listen or not. Obviously whatever he say they don't listen. His fans are just his customers, they can support him for liking his talents but he doesn't want them to live their lives for him.
That teacher is so fired and they will be asking for him to compensate them which he did not ask them to do annoying things and even told them to stop.
Anonymous
He doesn't have any comeback campaigns. He is just working, doing what he dose as a professional actor /singer. Crazy people will always be crazy you can't stop them.
Anonymous
If Ao3/227 situation is less important than shit, it would not have stalled his career for the past couple of months. Everyone is scared to shit to invite him to appear anywhere because they feared getting snipe by netizens. His team has to keep his itinerary super secret because they feared that leaks will cause netizens resist and prevent him from completing those itineraries.
I don't think his stupid fans understand the extent of the negative impact the situation has on him nor the fact that they are are still causing him so much trouble that he probably won't be able to make a comeback. XZ biggest enemies isn't 227, it is his fans.
Anonymous
Agree his fans are a really irrational lot. Can even breach their professional duty to chase after their idol. Frequently aggressive too.
Anonymous
I agree with 1.b and 2! Unfortunately XZ cannot choose his fans as we can choose our idol.
Aside from the great songs he's been releasing, his artwork is impressive and meaningful. Love the plum blossom, heart and mother & child's hands together.
Hope that his dramas will air soon… fingers crossed that The Wolf will air on May 20th as rumoured. It doesn't matter that he's not the male lead since his character description is interesting and styling looks good.
kaizoku
All obsessive fandom are irrational and scary up to a certain point. SuJu (korean group) fandom drove a girl to suicide just because she took a picture with one of the members. A father sold his home and jump into the sea taking his own life, just to guilt trip Andy Lau to meet and talk to his daughter since she dreamed of marrying Andy Lau and refuse to marry others and think that Andy Lau just need to talk to her to know that they are soulmates, crazy much? I pity all the artist who have this kind if toxic fandom. It doesn't matter if you scold them, talk nicely to them or even insult them, as long as their idols took notice of them, they will do it again and again, even if its for all the wrong reasons. Even invading their personal space. Like in the recent Li Xian case, he told his fans to stop talking pictures and leave him alone since its his private time. But the girls just smile since they think, ohhh Li Xian is talking to me!! It seems like fandom is getting worse everyday too. And lets not even start about any fandom wars, where my idol is a saint and can do no wrong. I really pity the artists who have this kind of obsessive fandom.
Man Man
People need to stop coming at Xiao Zhan for the actions of his fans doing shit that he can't control. He can tell them to stop, but like you someone with a brain and decision making skills, they make their own decisions and act obsessively! His passion is acting and singing, and he's trying to achieve his dreams. He does have some fans that are overstepping and taking ownership over his career for no reason. He's suffering because of that and then haters wanna get in on pushing him out whether they don't like him or because they want to get back at his fans. That really doesn't help anyone.
Man Man
@ Anon 1.c
His stupid fans may be a part of the equation to the whole mess, but people hating on Xiao Zhan (antis) are just as much against his scheduled projects, vowing to boycott everything and ruin his career. They think by doing this, they're gonna get back at XZ's fans, which I guess you can do, but what genuinely good person would wish that on someone they've never met and who has never wronged them? Imo the Ao3 situation got way out of hand, stretched beyond the most exaggerated extremes by both the fans and antis. A dumb situation, but Xiao Zhan's already apologized (which he didn't have to), and clarified that he doesn't "own" his fans and he just wishes for everyone to be safe and be kind.
Anonymous
There isn't harm in A03 being gone. It's like prohibiting candy from kids, and kids are protesting (very bad example because candy IS important). A03 is toxic! China is just prohibiting something toxic, and people who love toxicness are protesting. Why should he care? He is very patriotic, why would he speak out against the government, "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault the gov't took away the toxic A03 from everyone". If he's dumb I will understand but he's pretty smart so far.
XZ speaks up when there are important things. He Jiong gets bullied, that's important. Teachers make kids learn bad behaviors, that's important.
Anonymous
How is AO3 toxic? It was a public place where people could come together to share the things they have written. Just like a book store or library, not everything will be roses and flowers, there will be bad stuff also. By your stance you want all libraries and book stores also shut down because they are toxic. Or do you want the government to screen everything you can and cannot read and share with others? I personally have never used AO3 but it was a place of sharing and creativity that is now forbidden in China which is sad.
Anonymous
They can still post their fanfic somewhere else. If their fanfic is valuable enough they would (or should) have backups somewhere else. If not, they didn’t care enough about their work. For people who cannot post their work anywhere else because of censorship, that’s fair enough. Don’t think free is really free. Can somebody create a piece of work that encourage others to all go commit suicide or create treasons? There are restrictions too. Just because some other places such as US don’t censor some stuff that should be censored, does not mean China censoring porn is wrong.
Anonymous
Should not use candy as example. Say illegal drugs are banned and addicts are protesting, that should make enough sense. There's no harm in doing good deeds by banning such stuff.
Usi
At first AO3 isn't gone, it is still much alive. It is just accessible from China the usal way. And when I see the comments even here I'm not sad about that since some people need to be saved from themself when they are that immature.
AO3 is a portal for writers and readers to come together. MDZS/CQL is just a tiny part of it. Most people there never heared about the controversy and if they had they would wonder what this is all about. You don't like mini-skirts in a clothes shop? Well, then just stay away from that section but don't demand the shop closed down because it is "toxic". Life isn't just your tiny bubble, so please try be more open or at least keep mum about it since it will hurt REAL people like this example with XZ shows. He never was involved in this but had say sorry at the end. How ridicoulous is this?
Usi
+ isn't accessible
Anonymous
"stay away from that section"…you should mum about what you don't know because the fanfic did not mark her stuff appropriately.
People don't actually care about A03 or the fanfic, they care about hurting XZ that's the only goal.
Anonymous
Usi, 1 rotten apple spoils the barrel. Don't act hypocrite like you're not living in your own bubble, that rotten apple is in your territory too and just because you completely ignore that rotten apple doesn't mean it's not going to bite you one day. It is in your territory it is also part of you. Other platforms such as YouTube do their best to get rid of porn and bad contents. A03 does not want to filter their things and comply with the censorship, it's their own problem.
Usi
I can't see what is wrong with porn. And in A03 porn can be marked as Explicit or Mature. Why should they get rid of that? Will you raid out bookstores too? So called "Mama porn" makes a lot of money and even made it big to movies. I have a great problem with violence but never would go that far and demand that anything has to be censored. Movies, Books and Games are running on this. We have just have to live with it even when it doesn't fit into our world view.
Why should A03 hurt XZ? What hurt him was the ridicoulous reactions so called fans had creating a hype. Wasn't he just asking that people should mind their own life?
Anonymous
@Usi
Just when somebody told you to not be a hypocrite and you prove you still are. When you couldn't answer a question, circle around and around to the same things. Pointless talking to you. Bye!
Anonymous
true, some fans like this teacher need to stop using his name for media exposure. XZ is right, his passion is singing and acting, and he doesn't need the use of his name for support. He can do it without fan's exposure. Hope some of his crazy fans can calm down and listen to him.
Anonymous
This is why I love Xiao Zhan:
肖战 欢乐向 混剪 快来收获快乐 – YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4MpYyYBdHXo
Anonymous
The unfortunate thing is that this type of fans don't see themselves as obsessive, irrational, obnoxious or violating other people's rights. They feel that the idol is a perfect angel from heaven and belongs to them and woe betide anything or anyone who doesn't show the same idolation for their chosen one. And woe betide any idol who doesn't live up to their expectations either.
Anonymous
@ Anonymous 8
I feel very sorry for you & for whatever reason you don't like him. You can't be happy for someone like Xiao Zhan. Who is talented & very lovable. You are mad that people like him and you even put those people down. When he is doing well, i'm happy for him and i enjoy his works. You must have a very unhappy life & I certainly hope that I'm wrong about that. The guy only wants to be an actor & singer and people like you keep attacking him. He can't seem to do anything right in your eyes. People like you make the world a very sad place.
Anonymous
Anon 8.a, Anon 8 is actually right about fans obssessive.
XZ also have haters who are from different idol's group, XZ's fans don't share the same idolation as them so they woe betide XZ.
All obsessed fans are disgusting.
Anonymous
8.a lol Maybe you should read and understand 8's comment. Totally missing the point and totally proving anon's point. Anon 8 didn't even say anything negative about XZ ablnd yet there you are utterly defensive. Haha blind and obssessive fans like you are the ones giving your idols a bad name.