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An AI-generated photo created by Wang Mengqi shows Chinese poet "Li Bai" (left) offering a scroll written "Happy Birthday" to compatriot "Du Fu" on February 12, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of Wang Mengqi

"Hi everyone, I'm Li Bai. Today, I'm officially joining Xiaohongshu [RedNote]…" 

With this playful introduction, China's most celebrated Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet "resurrected" on social media, sparking a wave of cross-millennial banter. 

In the comments, the Chinese poet "Du Fu" urged him to "get an ID card pronto," while an "emperor" from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) requested a personalized poem. 

Even the Persian poet "Rudaki" chimed in: "We're practically contemporaries!" 

This is not a scene from a time-travel drama but a viral trend sweeping Chinese social media platforms like RedNote and Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. 

Historical icons like Li Bai, Du Fu and Su Shi have "joined" these social media "parties," creating personal accounts to spread traditional culture through poetry and painting. 

Spirit resonates

While "Li Bai" shares AI-generated street scenes from the Tang Dynasty period, "Du Fu" writes a poem as a review for the hit animated movie Ne Zha 2, and "Su Shi" becomes a "blogger" sharing recipes for Dongpo pork. 

It's clear that this "cyber resurrection" of ancient figures, led by Gen Zers, is challenging the boundaries of cultural heritage in a revolutionary way.

Wang Mengqi, a 32-year-old blogger who created an account for Li Bai, told the Global Times that she chose the poet because his romanticism and free-spirited poetry resonate with modern young people's pursuit of self-actualization. 

Her inspiration comes from historical records and scholarly research, which she simplifies and presents in Li's voice to make it more engaging. 

This phenomenon, according to Wang, has been dubbed "language cosplay," and relies on creative ­reinterpretation.

"Since it's social media, we need to prioritize fun while still respecting historical facts," Wang said, giving the example of how her posts mix historical rigor with internet slang. 

According to Wang, the bloggers running these accounts come from all walks of life, with a certain number majoring in Chinese language and literature or history, and even including some middle school students.

However, they share a common interest in participating in this emerging "cyber ancients" cultural community on social media. 

"Although most accounts are non-profit and run out of a love for the historical figures, their creative interactions enrich our intellectual growth and personal development in return," she said.

Similarly, Qin Piyin, who "language­-cosplays" as Su Shi, sees the polymath from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) as a "life coach" for the modern youth. 

The 17-year-old senior high school student told the Global Times that when communicating with netizens, he finds that the youth focus more on Su's attitude toward life than his artistic creation.

"Su's optimistic and open-minded attitude is what we need now," he said.

Thousands of accounts now ­impersonate historical icons on RedNote, with follower counts ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands.

Regarding the "arrival" of ancient figures, a customer service representative from RedNote said that these are all individually registered accounts, entirely the result of users' independent choices. 

The platform does not restrict the type of accounts users can register. It only reviews whether there are any violations on the user's end, as the Shanghai-based media outlet The Paper reported.

Innovative cultural inheritance

While the trend breathes new life into tradition, it also stirs debate. 

Media reports suggested that some lawyers have clarified that while ancient figures' portrait rights are not protected, modern artistic renditions might be.  

When using these portraits, one should comply with the ­provisions of the copyright law, a lawyer was quoted as saying, noting there is a high risk of infringing on copyrights.

Hu Yu, dean of the Institute for Culture and Creativity at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times that the "arrival" of historical figures on social media is an innovative way to inherit Chinese traditional culture. 

It fits the new media environment and shows that young Chinese people still have a strong memory and identify with ancient cultural figures, Hu said.

"When these ancient names become active voices on social media, they enhance contemporary people's connection to tradition," he said.

Guo Zhi'en, a deputy dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at the Beijing Language and Culture University, echoed the idea.

"As more young people engage with these 'ancient celebrities,' they are not only learning about history but are also finding inspiration for their own lives," Guo said.

Yu Jinlong, a Beijing-based cultural critic, sees this trend as a triple resonance of "technological change, cultural inheritance and contemporary values." 

He pointed out that it reflects the strong identification with cultural roots among all social strata, especially among young people. 

"The use of AI to generate ancient portraits and recreate historical scenes is essentially an empowerment of cultural diversification through digital technology," he said. "This transformation proves that classical wisdom remains alive in the digital age."

However, this trend also raises concerns about content authenticity. 

With varying levels of creators, there is a risk of producing low-quality, superficial or even misleading content. 

"Such posts should be based on a sincere respect for historical figures, that is to say, it should maintain a heartfelt warmth and reverence for the history and culture of the ­Chinese nation," Hu said.