China People

Ever since the Internet has spread like wildfire in China, people have become famous through the Internet, sometimes unintentionally. In Chinese netizen-speak, this is known as being “red” (more of a reference to fire or vibrance than the usual Communist connotation) which can be translated as being “hot,” or maybe “the rage.” Now that 2009 is coming to an end (also the year where the number of Internet users in China has surpassed the US population), there are various tallies on who the “hottest” Internet celebrities are. It doesn’t seem there has been any sort of official vote yet, but there seems to be a general consensus among all the forums and websites who the “red” people are. I chose 11 that seem to appear in all the lists and show the variety. If you want to see the original Chinese sites, check out this and this.

China People
China People
China People
China PeopleBEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- A political advisor said Monday that China should reform its mineral resources management system, as the current licensing system fails to reflect the true value of mine assets.

"The licenses only give licensees the rights to explore for mineral resources or develop mines, not the ownership of the resources. But the licensee are not paying for the resources they sell, which means the state's ownership of all mine assets is never realized," said Wei Xiaochun, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a political advisory body. >>>
China People
China People
China PeopleThe point of this post is not to necessarily be an official ranking, but to give you an idea of the grassroots nature of how Internet fame is manifest in China, the disproportionate emphasis placed on pretty girls, and the seemingly complete randomness of who becomes “red.”

1. The most handsome traffic policeman of Chongqing (重庆最帅交警): The host of a TV show called “Transportation for Everyone” has been deemed “the most handsome traffic policeman” by netizens based on his classic good looks, bright demeanor, and a winning smile.

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