Most Popular Chinese Content Creators on Bilibili and Douyin
Who Are the Most Popular Chinese Content Creators on Bilibili and Douyin?
China’s digital world runs on its own platforms, stars, and trends. If you are studying in China or curious about Chinese internet culture, knowing who the most popular Chinese content creators are — and where they create — gives you a real window into how young Chinese people think, laugh, and connect online.
Quick Answer: Who Are the Most Popular Chinese Content Creators?
The most popular chinese content creators are spread across two major platforms: Bilibili (long-form video and ACGN culture) and Douyin (short video and live-streaming).
Top names include Crazy Xiaoyangge (疯狂小杨哥) on Douyin, known for comedy and record-breaking e-commerce livestreams, and Muyu Shuixin (木鱼水心) on Bilibili, famous for deep-dive film and cultural analysis. Each platform attracts a different creator style and audience.
Understanding the Two Platforms First
Before diving into the creators, it helps to understand the platforms they dominate.
What Is Bilibili?
Bilibili is China’s leading platform for mid-form and long-form video content. It started as a hub for anime, comics, and gaming (ACGN) culture but has grown into a mainstream platform covering science, history, lifestyle, and study content.
Think of it as a blend between YouTube and a tight-knit subculture community. Bilibili’s users — mostly Gen Z and millennials — are known for being highly engaged. The platform hosts over 350 million users and runs an annual Bilibili Top 100 Content Creators awards ceremony that recognizes the year’s biggest stars.
What Is Douyin?
Douyin is China’s high-speed short-form video and live-streaming platform. Launched in 2016 by ByteDance, it has grown to over 700 million users and is the domestic version of TikTok — though the two apps operate separately with different content and audiences.
Douyin is where viral trends are born in China. Creators use it for 15-second clips, mini-dramas, live-shopping events, and celebrity lifestyle content. It is fast, loud, and commercially powerful.
You can learn more about how Douyin works and what makes it unique in the full Douyin guide on ApplyForChina.
Top Chinese Content Creators on Bilibili
Bilibili rewards depth. Its most popular creators build loyal audiences through knowledge, storytelling, and niche expertise — not just viral moments.
- Muyu Shuixin (木鱼水心)
Muyu Shuixin is one of Bilibili’s most respected creators. He is known for thorough film and television breakdowns, literature analysis, and cultural deep-dives.
His videos can run 30 to 60 minutes, yet consistently attract millions of views. He is a go-to creator for young Chinese viewers who want thoughtful content rather than quick entertainment.
- Fanshi (繁食)
Fanshi produces high-quality educational content on science, history, and society. His videos are research-heavy and visually polished — closer to a documentary than a vlog.
He is regularly featured in Bilibili’s annual Top 100 Creator rankings and appeals strongly to students and curious viewers.
- Laofanqie (老番茄)
Laofanqie is one of Bilibili’s historical heavyweights in gaming and commentary.
He built a massive following through consistent, personality-driven content and remains one of the platform’s most recognized faces in the gaming space.
- Xiaoyao Sanren (笑傲散人)
Xiaoyao Sanren is a veteran gaming and live-streaming creator with a multi-million loyal fanbase.
He represents the long-form gaming content style that built Bilibili’s early identity — detailed, community-focused, and deeply interactive.
Top Chinese Content Creators on Douyin
Douyin rewards speed, relatability, and commercial reach. Its biggest creators combine entertainment with massive live-shopping influence.
- Crazy Xiaoyangge (疯狂小杨哥)
Crazy Xiaoyangge is the standout name in Douyin content creation. He leads Three Sheep Network and rose to fame through comedic family sketches and relatable humor.
Today, he is one of China’s most commercially powerful creators. His live streaming sales events have broken e-commerce records, with single livestreams generating hundreds of millions of CNY in revenue.
In Statista’s ranking of the most-followed influencers on Douyin, Crazy Xiaoyangge ranked first.
- Dianxi Xiaoge (滇西小哥)
Dianxi Xiaoge is a rural lifestyle and traditional cooking creator from Yunnan Province. She films herself preparing traditional dishes, farming, and living close to nature.
Her warm, slow-paced content became a viral hit both inside China and internationally — she has tens of millions of followers across platforms and represents a rising genre of “countryside nostalgia” content.
Her style is often compared to Li Ziqi, another Chinese rural creator who gained worldwide attention on YouTube.
- Chen Xiang (陈翔六点半)
Chen Xiang’s team produces short-form situation comedies — tight, punchy mini-dramas that capture everyday social situations with humor.
His content is a Douyin staple and has helped define the mini-drama genre that is now one of the platform’s fastest-growing content categories.
- Zhao Lusi (赵露思) and Dilireba (迪丽热巴)
Top Chinese actresses Zhao Lusi and Dilireba dominate Douyin’s engagement charts. They post short lifestyle clips, behind-the-scenes content, and promotional media that consistently generate massive interaction.
Celebrity creators on Douyin often serve as bridges between the entertainment industry and social media, driving both fan culture and commercial campaigns.
Bilibili vs. Douyin: Which Platform Suits Which Creator?
| Feature | Bilibili | Douyin |
| Video length | Long-form (10–60+ min) | Short-form (15 sec–3 min) |
| Main audience | Gen Z, students, ACGN fans | Broad mass market |
| Creator style | Educational, analytical, niche | Fast, viral, commercial |
| Top content types | Gaming, science, film reviews | Comedy, lifestyle, live-shopping |
| Monetization | Subscriptions, brand deals | Live-streaming sales, gifts |
| Platform feel | YouTube + Reddit community | TikTok at scale |
For international students in China, Bilibili is a great entry point for understanding youth culture and learning Mandarin through engaging content. Douyin is where you see what is trending in real time.
Why International Students Should Know These Creators
You do not need to be a fan to benefit from knowing who these creators are. Understanding Chinese content creators and the social media platforms they use helps you:
- Start conversations — Chinese classmates follow these creators closely. Knowing their names opens doors socially.
- Learn Mandarin naturally — Bilibili in particular has subtitled content, study vlogs, and educational channels that support language learning.
- Understand trends — Douyin drives fashion, food, travel, and lifestyle trends across China. What goes viral on Douyin shapes what people talk about the next day.
- Navigate daily life — Douyin’s local recommendation algorithm surfaces restaurant reviews, city guides, and event listings that are genuinely useful for students new to a Chinese city.
If you want to explore the broader digital landscape in China, the top Chinese internet sites guide covers all the major platforms you will encounter as a student.
Ready to Experience Chinese Internet Culture Firsthand?
The best way to understand Bilibili, Douyin, and the world of chinese content creators is to be in China yourself. As a student, you will use these platforms daily — for entertainment, local tips, language practice, and social connection.
If you are thinking about studying in China, Apply for China can help you find the right university and program to make that happen.
Preguntas frecuentes
The biggest names include Crazy Xiaoyangge on Douyin (comedy and e-commerce livestreams) and Muyu Shuixin on Bilibili (film and cultural analysis). Celebrities like Dilireba and Zhao Lusi also dominate Douyin’s engagement charts.
Bilibili is China’s main platform for long-form video content covering gaming, science, history, anime, and study content. It has over 350 million users and is especially popular among Gen Z and university students.
Douyin is the Chinese version of TikTok, both made by ByteDance. Douyin operates only in China with separate content, creators, and algorithms. It has over 700 million users and is a major hub for short videos and live-shopping.
Crazy Xiaoyangge (疯狂小杨哥) is among the most-followed creators on Douyin, known for his comedic content and record-breaking live-streaming sales events.
Li Ziqi is the most globally recognized Chinese creator, known for her rural cooking and lifestyle content. She built a massive following on YouTube and international platforms before returning to Chinese platforms.
Yes. Both platforms are fully accessible in China without a VPN. Bilibili has some English-subtitled content. Douyin requires a Chinese phone number to register but is widely used by international students living in China.
Chinese creators earn through platform ad revenue, brand sponsorships, live-streaming gifts and tips, and e-commerce sales. Douyin in particular has made live-shopping a major income stream, with top creators generating millions in a single livestream.