A promotional appearance by Chinese actor Zhang Linghe descended into chaos after crowds pushed through the entrance of a shopping mall in southern China, shattering glass doors and forcing the event to be cancelled.
The Chinese television star was scheduled to attend an event for eyewear brand Molsion at MixC Mall in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi province, on 31 May. According to local media, large crowds had begun queuing outside the shopping centre early in the morning before the event, and videos on social media showed packed crowds outside the mall’s entrance.
When the doors opened, fans surged forward to enter the building and secure viewing spots for Zhang’s appearance, Taiwanese outlet ETtoday reported.
Videos circulating on Chinese social media appeared to show the pressure from the crowd shattering a large section of the mall’s glass entrance doors, scattering broken glass across the ground. Screams erupted nearby as people continued pushing into the building despite shards covering the entrance floor.
Mall staff later cleaned up the broken glass while crowds continued to enter the complex.
Five people suffered minor abrasions and were taken to hospital for treatment, according to Chinese outlet The Paper.
Videos filmed inside the shopping centre appeared to show overcrowding on all six floors of the mall, with escalators, balconies and walkways packed with people hoping to catch a glimpse of the actor.
“There are so many people, I suggest you don’t go at this time. As far as I know, all six floors are full of people right now,” one user wrote on Weibo, reported ETtoday. Another wrote: “The glass has been smashed, it’s better not to go.”
Zhang, 28, rose to prominence in the fantasy hit Love Between Fairy And Devil (2022). He has since become one of the most recognisable actors in China’s booming historical-drama industry and has had leading roles in My Journey To You (2023), Story Of Kunning Palace (2023), and The Princess Royal (2024).
In his latest series, Pursuit Of Jade, he plays Xie Zheng, a nobleman seeking revenge for the massacre of his family. The historical romance crossed a popularity index of 10,000 on iQIYI, one of China’s largest online streaming platforms, within six days of its release and later debuted at Number 6 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 non-English shows chart.
On 31 May, eyewear brand Molsion announced on Chinese social media platform Weibo that the actor’s scheduled in-person appearance had been cancelled.
The company said the event schedule had been “temporarily adjusted” in accordance with “the safety requirements of relevant departments” and in order “to protect everyone’s personal safety and avoid overcrowding and uncontrollable risks”.
Zhang later appeared in an online livestream organised by the brand instead of attending the shopping centre event in person.
Zhang’s studio issued a statement on Weibo apologising for the cancellation. “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause due to the last-minute rescheduling of the brand event scheduled for today,” the statement said. “Your safety is always our top priority and the premise for all our activities.”
The statement continued: “For fans who came to Nanning, all travel and accommodation expenses incurred due to this event, including airfare, high-speed rail tickets, hotel stays, and train fares, will be fully compensated by the artist and their studio.”