Jiang Kedong interacts with tourists in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Over the past month, Jiang Kedong has gained more than 2.7 million followers on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, which has become one of the country’s most popular short video platforms.
The 38-year-old is better known as “Bingcheng Zuoyouge” or “Ice City’s Left and Right Brothers”, and has transformed from a local entertainer to a widely known internet celebrity, and his fame has made him a popular tourist attraction this winter. It coincides with the boom. Located in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province.
In 2012, Jiang became the host of the Harbin Ice and Snow World Dream Stage, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
His famous “Rabbit Dance”, characterized by playful side-to-side foot movements, has captured the hearts of fans with its catchy simplicity, and has become a vibrant part of Harbin during this surge in tourists. It has become a symbol of spirit.
“In Harbin, the temperature can drop to -30 degrees Celsius in winter,” he says.
“My original aim was to help tourists feel warm in a world of ice and snow by participating in the game in an orderly manner, following our instructions and pace.”
Yang Qin, one of Jiang’s supporters in Douyin, was moved when he heard Jiang’s voice in a park during a visit to Harbin.
“This is the dream stage of the Harbin ice and snow world, I am Bingchen Zuoyouge,” he declared.
Yang cheered with tens of thousands of spectators and danced according to Jiang’s instructions.
“During my trip to this city, meeting him in person was my most important mission,” said Yang, who is from Chongqing. “I had the opportunity to dance with Jiang-san on stage, and it left me with unforgettable memories of Harbin.”
In 2017, Jiang started posting short dance videos on the internet and livestreaming her performances in the park. His humorous style made his videos popular, and by the beginning of 2019, he had amassed 600,000 followers on Douyin.
Despite the 21st Harbin Ice and Snow World being closed just 19 days after its opening in 2020 due to the spread of the new coronavirus, Jiang continued to visit the park and share it with his followers through live streaming. did.
“Harbin’s popularity is no coincidence. Since the beginning of 2023, we have been promoting Heilongjiang Province in many facets on new media platforms and have established numerous destinations that are called must-see tourist attractions by netizens. ” said He Jing, director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Culture and Tourism Bureau. he told China Central Television. “We are also paying more attention to comments on online videos.
“We want to do our best to meet the needs of tourists,” he said. “Some visitors said that it would be better if the moon was shining when taking pictures at St. Sophia Cathedral, so we flew a drone and raised an artificial moon over the landmark. Others said that Harbin is too cold. There were also people, so we quickly built an artificial moon.”There are a lot of small prefabricated houses to keep them warm.
“All these details can make tourists feel comfortable and respected, and they can post the news on the internet and get a warm response,” she said.
Local tourism boards are also focusing on new media platforms, which play an important role in the development of the tourism industry.
Originally from Harbin, Jiang has been involved in ice and snow sports since childhood.
“My greatest wish is to participate in the 9th Asian Winter Games scheduled to be held in Harbin in February 2025, become a competition DJ, and stand on the field of Asia’s highest level winter sports competition.” Told.
“Living in an ice city, I am like a snowflake flying around in a world of ice and snow, and I want to contribute more to my hometown.”