Chinese Citizens Only Watching as Influencer Stabbed with Knife

Assaulted by a Stranger in the Park and Killed
Controversy as Video Shows Dozens Just Watching
China's 'Banggwanja Munhwa' Reexamined

A famous Chinese influencer was stabbed to death by an assailant in a public place, and a video showing dozens of people merely watching without taking appropriate action has caused shock.

Local Chinese media, including Xinjingbao (新京報), recently reported that a Chinese influencer, Mr. A (54), was stabbed to death by an assailant while dancing in a park in Songyuan City, Jilin Province, China, on the 30th of last month. The deceased Mr. A was popular locally for dancing in the square with a bag tucked under his arm and was known as the 'Bag Style' and 'Dance God' influencer.

[Photo by Weibo capture]

At the time of the incident, Mr. A was immersed in dancing to music in the park square, with several citizens watching him. Suddenly, Mr. B (53) rushed at Mr. A, engaged in a scuffle, and repeatedly wielded a knife. Mr. A was transported to the hospital but eventually died.

The police responded to the report and arrested Mr. B. It was reported that Mr. B came to the park intoxicated and committed the crime, having no prior acquaintance with the victim. At the police station, Mr. B reportedly stated, "I felt uncomfortable with the look in Mr. A's eyes while he was dancing, which made me angry."

The shocking aspect is that even after Mr. A was stabbed and collapsed on the ground, the people around merely watched the assailant's actions during the crime.

Videos circulated on Weibo (China's version of X) and other Chinese social media show dozens of people gathered around Mr. A, who was dancing with a bag. However, no one intervened to stop the crime. The footage also shows people crossing their arms or standing with their hands behind their backs, quietly observing the situation.

As the controversy grew, related search terms briefly topped the real-time search rankings on Weibo, reigniting debates about China's 'Weiguan (bystander) culture.' In the past, China has faced social issues regarding the Weiguan culture, where people witnessing accidents on the street do not help out of fear of becoming victims themselves.

Local netizens criticized, saying, "There were many witnesses, but no one stopped it," "Why did people just watch someone being stabbed?" and "Who is responsible for the public's indifference?" Some expressed understanding of the bystanders' positions, stating, "You can't criticize recklessly. Could you have stopped a knife?" "Interfering in others' affairs does not bring good results," and "We should reflect, but avoid excessive interpretation."