Within a decade, Zhang Xuefeng became one of the most recognisable names among China's youth.
With more than 26 million followers on Douyin, China's domestic version of TikTok, the 41-year-old was among the country's most prominent influencers - even while building his reputation in a niche field. By offering students and parents advice on university applications and choice of majors, he sought to help them achieve what many view as an all-important goal: better job prospects.
Issues of employability are complex in China, and Zhang was known for his extremely pragmatic approach. It also made him a highly controversial figure. Zhang once declared that "any major is better than journalism" and described liberal arts majors as a "service industry that caters to others".
Local media have often linked his rise to a pervasive anxiety in Chinese society, driven by a slowing economy and a sluggish youth employment rate. Yet Zhang remains a polarising figure.
Supporters say he changed the course of their lives by providing information that ordinary families without resources would otherwise struggle to access. Critics, meanwhile, argue his advice was narrowly utilitarian and ultimately unhelpful to society.
