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cover of episode 英语新闻丨Math scholar's social media debut kicks up concerns about his health

英语新闻丨Math scholar's social media debut kicks up concerns about his health

2025/6/16
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China Daily Podcast

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Wei Dongyi: 我最近开通了个人社交媒体账号,没想到引起了这么大的关注。我看到了大家对我的关心,特别是关于我的健康问题。虽然这波关注对我产生了一些影响,但我目前不会就此事发表任何公开回应。 Peking University: 我们一直在关注韦东奕的口腔健康,已经安排了医疗会诊,并制定了治疗方案。我们将继续支持他获得医疗服务,并呼吁公众维护一个安静的学术环境,让他能够专注于教学和学术工作。我们感谢公众的关心,并将继续根据他的意愿,在工作、生活和医疗等方面提供全方位的保障。 Netizens: 我们在韦东奕发布的视频中注意到他的牙齿问题,希望北京大学能够为他提供更多的支持和帮助。同时,我们也希望他能够保持健康,继续在数学领域做出贡献。此外,我们也对社交媒体上出现的模仿账号表示关注,希望平台能够加强管理,维护韦东奕的权益。

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Welcome to CD Voice, looking at China and the world from different perspectives. Math scholar's social media debut kicks up concerns about his health. Chinese mathematical genius Wei Dongyi, who recently launched personal social media accounts, is now drawing widespread attention and sparking online discussions about his health.

Wei, an assistant professor and researcher at the School of Mathematical Sciences at Peking University, made his debut on Duyan and Shaohongshu, also known as Red Note, by posting a short self-introductory video.

"Hello everyone, I am Wei Dongyi," he says in the video, standing in front of a blackboard. Within a week, his Douyin account garnered more than 24 million followers, while his RedNote account attracted over 570,000 followers. Wei's unexpected appearance on social media quickly went viral. However, it also raised concerns among netizens about his health.

Many viewers noticed apparent dental issues in the video and called on the university to offer more support to the young academic. According to Chengdu-based media outlet Hongxing News, Wei stated that he would not make any further public responses on this matter. He also acknowledged that the recent wave of public attention has had an impact on him. Renowned in China for both his extraordinary mathematical talent and modest lifestyle,

Wei was born in 1991 and won gold medals with perfect scores in the 49th and 50th International Mathematical Olympiads while in high school. He later enrolled at Peking University, where he earned a doctorate and began working as an assistant professor in 2019. Wei first drew national attention in a 2021 interview, where he was seen carrying a water bottle and a bag of steamed buns.

an image that quickly resonated with the public and added to his reputation for simplicity and dedication in response to the growing public concern the school in an interview with xinhua news agency said that it has been attending to wei's oral health medical consultations have already been conducted with a proposed treatment plan on hand the school said it would continue to support his access to medical care

At the same time, the school urged netizens to help maintain a quiet environment conducive to scholarly research, allowing Wei to fully focus on his teaching and academic work. Peking University also expressed gratitude for the public's concern, but emphasized that in accordance with its commitment to respecting Wei's wishes, it continues to provide comprehensive support in terms of work, daily life, and health care, with proper arrangements and guarantees in place.

Wei's account launch coincided with the National College Entrance Exam, or gaokao, prompting a flood of messages from students expressing their hopes for strong performances in the mathematics portion of the exam.

However, Wei's popularity also led to the emergence of numerous copycat accounts on social media, using names such as "God Wei" and "Wei Dong Yi Select" to capitalize on the trend. One fake Weibo account under the name "The Real Wei Dong Yi" was identified and subsequently blocked by the platform. That's all for today. For more news and analysis, buy the paper until next time.