In an extraordinary display of public solidarity, hundreds of thousands of supporters converged on actor Li Yapeng’s Douyin livestream Friday evening, creating a charity-driven purchasing frenzy for Yunnan Pu’er tea products. The massive digital gathering aimed to generate crucial funds for Beijing Smile Angel Children’s Hospital, a specialized facility co-founded by Li in 2012 that provides free and subsidized cleft lip and palate surgeries to children in need.
The hospital’s financial crisis came to public attention earlier this month when Li revealed the institution faced accumulated debts exceeding 26 million yuan ($3.5 million) in unpaid rent and operational fees, pushing it to the brink of permanent closure. This disclosure triggered an immediate public response, with donations to the Smile Angel Foundation—established by Li in 2006 under the Chinese Red Cross Foundation—surpassing 23 million yuan from hundreds of thousands of contributors within days.
However, experts subsequently clarified that these donations were legally restricted to covering medical procedures rather than operational expenses, necessitating alternative fundraising approaches. Li’s strategic pivot to e-commerce philanthropy proved remarkably successful, with his Friday livestream dominating Douyin’s sales charts by generating 16.84 million yuan ($2.42 million) in revenue—nearly quadruple the sales of the platform’s second-ranked broadcaster.
During the broadcast, Li demonstrated ethical entrepreneurship by repeatedly urging viewers toward rational consumption. “I know why everyone is here,” he acknowledged, directly referencing the hospital’s predicament while encouraging viewers to “only buy if you drink tea.”
The overwhelming response forced Li’s commercial partner, a Yunnan Pu’er tea company, to announce a temporary suspension of upcoming livestreams to focus exclusively on processing the unprecedented volume of orders. “The order volume far exceeded expectations,” the company stated Saturday, explaining the pause would ensure “timely and accurate delivery.”
Despite this remarkable show of public support, the hospital’s future remains uncertain. Wednesday’s official statement confirmed ongoing negotiations with the landlord regarding potential relocation or lease renewal, with no final resolution reached.