The passing of education guru Zhang Xuefeng and the success of ZXMOTO founder Zhang Xue are resonating with Chinese audiences. Their respective stories reflect a deeper public unease within the country.

Mainland social media was engulfed by sorrow following the passing of Zhang Xuefeng, an esteemed education guru with over 30 million followers, in late March. Meanwhile, another influential figure was capturing attention online. ZXMOTO founder Zhang Xue had just achieved a remarkable victory for his motorcycle brand on the world stage. Though these two self-made icons treaded vastly different paths, they simultaneously resonated with the public mood. Their stories reveal a deeper unease in China...