In China, birdwatching is affectionately nicknamed “bird shooting,” a playful term referring to the use of telephoto lenses to photograph birds from a distance. Traditionally, it’s been a hobby dominated by middle-aged and retired hobbyists – those with time, money and patience to spare. But now, a younger generation is flocking to the pastime.
Leading the charge is 33-year-old actor and heartthrob Li Xian, who boasts 24.7 million followers on Sina Weibo. A longtime photography enthusiast, Li tried his hand at bird photography for the first time in late March 2025. On March 28, he posted a series of bird photos taken at Beijing’s Yuyuantan Park. The post quickly went viral, amassing over 710,000 likes and more than 1 million shares.
Even before the photos dropped, a hashtag about Li’s birdwatching had already made it to Sina Weibo’s top trending list, drawing more than 130 million views and sparking over 530,000 comments.
Li’s star power has introduced a whole new audience to the meditative joys of bird photography and the quiet beauty of nature. Many netizens commented that they were inspired to give the hobby a try themselves.
The buzz even caught the attention of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, which praised Li on April 4 for helping raise public interest in birdwatching and ecological awareness.
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