Ancient Chinese fan culture included public gatherings and the practice of eating poems to show devotion to celebrated writers and performers [1].
This historical precedent suggests that the intense emotional bonds and collective behaviors seen in modern celebrity fandom are not new phenomena. The tradition demonstrates how communal spaces, such as restaurants and poetry circles, were used to cultivate fame and public fascination millennia before the digital age [1].
One of the earliest heartthrobs in China was Pan Yue, a writer from the Western Jin dynasty [1]. He was better known by his nickname, Pan An [1]. During the Western Jin dynasty, which spanned from 266 to 316 CE [1], Pan Yue became an object of collective admiration.
Fans of the era did not merely read the works of their idols. Some followers engaged in the act of eating poems as a physical manifestation of their devotion [1]. This behavior occurred alongside other forms of public admiration where fans gathered in the streets and cultural hubs to follow their favorite figures [1].
"China’s fandom culture predates today’s pop idols and live‑streaming celebrities by millennia," SCMP staff said [1].
These early practices turned talented poets and performers into public icons. The fascination was not limited to the intellectual value of the poetry but extended to the persona of the writer [1]. This created a social dynamic where fame was managed through public visibility and communal interaction, mirroring the structure of contemporary fan bases [1].
“Ancient Chinese fan culture included public gatherings and the practice of eating poems to show devotion.”
The existence of structured fandom in the Western Jin dynasty indicates that the psychological drive for celebrity worship is a long-standing human behavior rather than a byproduct of modern media. By linking the 'eating' of poems to current idol culture, historians highlight a continuity in how audiences seek physical or spiritual proximity to figures of perceived perfection.
