Li Yapeng, a former A-list actor turned livestream merchant, dominated Douyin’s sales ranking on January 30 with a marathon six‑hour broadcast that generated 160 million yuan in gross merchandise value (GMV). The stream, which began at 18:50 and ran past midnight, set an industry record for a Pu'er‑tea special and drew more than 400,000 concurrent viewers within ten minutes, with total viewing counts exceeding 40 million.
The session stood out for its low‑pressure approach: Li repeatedly urged viewers to “consume rationally” and eschewed high‑pressure hard sells, even while sales escalated through the evening. Drinks and snacks opened the stream with about 6.52 million yuan in sales, but it was tea that drove the headline figure — the tea category surpassed 160 million yuan, helping producers and merchants clear inventory after a tough season.
Li’s livestream also had a measurable effect on his own brand: his Douyin follower tally climbed sharply, passing 10.4 million after the broadcast, with the single event netting more than 300,000 new followers. The performance follows several notable recent broadcasts: a January 17 session that generated between 10 and 25 thousand orders and roughly 10–25 million yuan in sales, and another on January 23 that drew more than 100,000 viewers at opening.
The commercial success overlapped with a charitable dimension. Li announced on social media that he would donate recent livestream income to hospitals, a pledge that arrives amid public attention around Yanran Children’s Hospital’s rent arrears and threatened closure. That controversy has mobilised many online donations and kept healthcare philanthropy in the spotlight.
Beyond the spectacle, the episode underlines broader changes in China’s retail and cultural economy. Celebrity livestreaming remains a powerful distribution channel for traditionally slow‑moving goods such as aged teas, where a charismatic host can both clear stock and introduce new consumers to a heritage product. The case also highlights the reputational stakes for celebrities: commercial success can be quickly reframed as civic action when tied to public causes, whether spontaneously or strategically.