China's fandom culture has ancient roots, with poets and performers in past centuries becoming objects of public fascination. Figures like Pan Yue from the Jin dynasty were celebrated for their talents and charisma.

China’s fandom culture predates today’s pop idols and live-streaming celebrities by millennia. In ancient times, fame was cultivated in the streets, restaurants, and poetry circles, where beauty and talent transformed poets and performers into objects of public fascination. One of China’s earliest heartthrobs was Pan Yue, a writer from the Western Jin dynasty (266–316), better known by his nickname, Pan An. Celebrated in the book, A New Account of the Tales of the World, for his striking good...