Fanwork Communication through Social Media: A Dynamic Practice of Celebrity Fans in China

Abstract

Contemporary Chinese celebrity fans mainly engage in two innovative types of fanwork communications through social media: 1) digital relays of sequentially creating and presenting their own complete fan art and fiction and 2) dissemination of fan-made non-digital peripheral materials by mail or in person after online showcasing. Based on unobtrusive observation and semi-structured interviews, this paper presents the specific steps in both types of communication activities among fans of two Chinese musical actors, Ayanga and Yunlong, on the Weibo platform. Exceeding fans’ traditional sole emphasis on cataloging their creations, these fanwork communications comprise the information creation (organization), dissemination, and preservation stages of an information communication chain. Fans also show an impulse to dynamically archive every step of their activities in the moment. While these fans mainly intend to enjoy their fanworks and support fan creators, their online archival records facilitate broader communications and development of contemporary fan culture while allowing fans to negotiate their own hierarchies in what they believe to be transparent ways.