Chinese actor Li Xian praised by government for drawing people to birds

(ECNS) -- Famous Chinese actor Li Xian was praised by China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) for attracting more people to pay attention to birds and the ecological environment.

Li has truly lived up to his nickname as the "ambassador of flowers and birds", single-handedly trending multiple trending topics on Weibo, including "Bird photographing at the Yuyuantan park" in Beijing and sparking a birdwatching craze this spring, the MEE posted on Friday.

Since March, many Chinese citizens have spotted Li carrying professional photography equipment at Yuyuantan Park, walking among groups of elderly birdwatching photographers.

The hashtag "Li Xian joins the grandpas' bird photographing club" quickly went viral on Chinese social media platforms, drawing widespread attention.

In addition to Yuyuantan Park, visitors also encountered Li at the Olympic Forest Park.

Birdwatching and photography, previously seen as activities that only elderly people did, are now becoming increasingly popular among young people in China, driven by celebrity influence and a growing interest in nature.

Some people commented that "This is the real idol power, which drives everyone to pay attention to nature and love life."

After receiving fans' praise, Li shared a group of photos of birds he shot on Weibo. Some commented they have come to recognize more and more types of birds through Li's work.

With Li igniting the birdwatching boom, cultural and tourism departments across the country including Harbin in Heilongjiang Province, Chengdu in Sichuan Province, and Dehong in Yunnan Province, have swiftly responded to invite Li to visit their cities for birdwatching on social media platforms.

(By Zhang Dongfang)