Viral China maths genius’ new workbook sells 26,000 copies in 4 days, sparking mixed reactions
A famous Chinese mathematician known for his dishevelled genius image recently began selling workbooks for primary and secondary school students, which were quickly sold out within days. Wei Dongyi, 35, is an associate professor in the Mathematics Department at Peking University. He gained instant fame in 2021 after a vox pop on the Peking University campus. In the video, he appears dressed…
Chinese mathematician Wei Dongyi, known for his distinctive appearance and brilliant intellect, has released a new series of workbooks for primary and secondary school students. The workbooks have sold out within days, with 26,000 copies purchased in just four days. Wei, a professor at Peking University, gained fame in 2021 after a video of him, dressed simply, shared his mathematical expertise.
Despite his introverted nature, Wei remains unfazed by his newfound fame, a characteristic admired by many. Wei, a mathematics prodigy, has won two gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiads and declined opportunities to study abroad. He recently registered social media accounts to combat impersonators and posted a promotional video for his workbooks, which were later confirmed to be his own account.
The commercial nature of the workbooks sparked mixed reactions, with some criticizing Wei for potentially profiting from his fame and others praising him for taking a more "down to earth" approach.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
