'Hello, ni hao': How an 80-year-old Cambridge professor became a surprising voice for China's youth

He begins each video the same way: a gentle "Ni Hao" (Hello) in Mandarin, followed by a question pulled from the comments section of China's social media. Then, speaking in measured, crisp British English, Alan Macfarlane — a Fellow of the British Academy and Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Cambridge University — responds.

No special effects. No fast-paced editing. No polished set. Just an elderly scholar sitting in front of a webcam in his converted barn study near Cambridge, answering one question at a time.

The topics range widely: "How should we face death?" "Why do we have to work?" "Is it shameful to lie flat (referring to quitting competition and choosing a low-stress life)?" "What are the differences between Eastern and Western thinking?" "How do I escape emptiness and boredom?" "Does a small, ordinary life still have meaning?"

His videos are typically 7 or 8 minutes long — yet they have garnered millions of views and thousands of heartfelt, long-form comments.

"When I hear him speak, I feel like crying," one user wrote. Others call him a "spiritual tree hollow" (a place to confide secrets) and a "life mentor," describing him as "the Western scholar who understands Chinese youth best."

Alan Macfarlane's Xiaohongshu or RedNote page

Since opening his account on Xiaohongshu, a platform popular with young Chinese, Macfarlane has amassed over 2.2 million followers in one year. In the past month alone, he gained more than 1 million followers.

"Even the platform team said they found Alan's growth unbelievable," said Qin Yuchen, who manages Macfarlane's Chinese social media accounts, in an interview with The Beijing News in early May. "Last month, the No.1 fastest-growing creator was Alan. No.2 was Pamela, a globally famous fitness influencer."

With his slightly messy white hair and impeccably British accent, Macfarlane has been affectionately nicknamed "the British Dumbledore" by Chinese netizens, a reference to the wise Hogwarts headmaster from Harry Potter.

Macfarlane says he is "very honored." "Dumbledore is calm, wise, and supports young people in a non-interfering way," he said. "I'm delighted to be your Dumbledore."

On China's Youth Day, May 4th, Macfarlane released a special video comparing Chinese youth to bamboo.

"When a great gust of wind comes to a bamboo, it leans over, absorbs the shock, lies flat almost. Then, when the gust has gone, it goes back up, and this is a big feature of Chinese philosophy," he said, explaining the "Tang Ping" (lying flat) phenomenon among some young Chinese.

"It's not giving up," he emphasized. "It's a kind of returning or recruiting yourself to a gentler, meditative waiting game. It's a retreat for a better advance."

The metaphor struck a chord. A high school student about to take the national college entrance exam said the video calmed her anxiety. A recent graduate searching for a job said Macfarlane "gave me strength." Another comment read, simply: "He catches our confusion."

Macfarlane's account was launched in early May 2025 as a "spur-of-the-moment experiment," according to Qin Yuchen. A Chinese edition of one of his books had just been published, and the team thought, "Why not let him introduce it himself online?"

The first night, the professor gained 20,000 followers. By March 2026, he hit 1 million. By late April, 2 million.

"He was thrilled. He said it felt like being a Beatle," Qin recalled.

Macfarlane himself calls it a "magical journey." In one video, he noted that in British society, older people are often left to sit in a corner reading newspapers. "Even if you were a distinguished scholar, it's the past. Not many people care. So for an octogenarian scholar to have so many young people on the Chinese internet who want to listen to him, he's especially happy."

Qin describes what Macfarlane is doing as simply "fun." "His whole life, he has followed his interests, doing whatever he finds interesting or enjoyable," Qin said. "This 'fantastic journey' on Chinese social media is the same. Because he has a rare quality: an endless curiosity about the world."

Source: 上海日报SHINA