Chinese Chef in Hot Water Over Egg Fried Rice Video

Wang Tang accused of mocking death of Mao Zedong's eldest son in Korean War
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 29, 2023 6:35 PM CST
Chinese Chef in Hot Water Over Egg Fried Rice Video
"There's nothing wrong with egg fried rice," one Weibo user said.   (Getty Images/Ravsky)

A popular Sichuan chef in China has apologized for sharing a video about cooking egg fried rice—which, at this time of year, is viewed as a challenge to the Communist Party regime and an insult to the memory of Mao Zedong's eldest son. Military officer Mao Anying was killed by a US bombing during the Korean War, and rumors have long circulated that he exposed his position by cooking egg fried rice, violating a ban on cooking during daytime, the Guardian reports. The rumor has long been a taboo topic of discussion, and talk of egg fried rice around the anniversary of the Nov. 25, 1950, death is viewed with suspicion, though censors haven't banned the topic.

Wang Yang, who has millions of followers on Weibo and YouTube, took the video and apologized on Monday. "As a chef, I will never make fried rice again nor make any videos about it," he said, per the Straits Times. Wang—who posted similar videos in 2018 and 2020—said a member of his team had posted the video without his knowledge. Some internet users in China slammed Wang for being "disrespectful," while others expressed support. "There's nothing wrong with egg fried rice," one Weibo user said, per the Guardian. "What's wrong is that you were born in the wrong place. Chefs can consider going abroad to find freedom in food teaching." (More China stories.)

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