The Unexpected Viral Sensation of 'No Future': Xi Jinping's Mourning Song with the Strongest Emotional Impact

Song titled 'No Future'

[People News] In October 2025, a mourning song titled 'No Future' became a viral sensation online, dominating short video platforms and rapidly spreading across the Taiwan Strait, leading to numerous covers on global blogs. The Douyin topic 'Wang Shijian No Future' achieved over 100 million views, with more than 100,000 related videos, while various cover versions by Bilibili content creators received over 5 million likes in total.

This phenomenon has resonated deeply with the confused youth of mainland China, unexpectedly turning into a cultural symbol and source of comfort for countless disillusioned individuals overnight. The song's unexpected rise to fame reflects the current struggles faced by millions of grassroots workers in mainland China, who are grappling with unemployment, a sense of resignation, and a bleak future. In this state of numbness and despair, young people have found a form of self-mocking celebration and profound resonance in 'No Future,' which has swept across the internet like a tsunami. Notably, the Chinese Communist Party's online platforms have paradoxically relaxed their speech control measures, allowing the song to spread without censorship, deletion, or comment moderation. Even the state media has participated in the hype, releasing information that is quite remarkable.

The creation of this song was entirely coincidental and filled with drama. Wang Shijian, a legislator from Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party, is a prominent and outspoken figure in Taiwan's political landscape. He is known for vocally criticising 'corrupt officials' at gatherings of politicians, using sharp and direct language, and often delivering memorable quotes. In 2014, during an inquiry into delays in the MRT project, he famously reprimanded then-Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, stating: 'It should have been done leisurely and effortlessly, but now it’s a rush, rolling and crawling,' and 'You’re speaking nonsense with your eyes wide open; why are you choking up? What are you crying about, you loser!' 

In October 2025, young musician Wang Bo from mainland China set these memorable quotes from Wang Shijian's reprimand of Ko Wen-je to music, combining them with electronic pop beats and a mournful RAP rhythm. He uploaded a video to Douyin, which opened with Wang Shijian's defiant expression, angrily denouncing the world and daring to speak for the people, featuring his shoulder-length hair and deep voice. The rhythm was intense, and as soon as the memorable lyrics were delivered, netizens were captivated and instantly moved to tears. 

In just three days, the video surged from a few thousand views to a million. By the end of the week, 'loser' had successfully tapped into the emotional outlet for the internet's original inhabitants. The comment section was filled with cries: 'After listening, I want to resign' and 'This isn’t a song; it’s a diagnosis of a midlife crisis.' One blogger noted that the song gained popularity not because of its catchy melody, but because it resonated with the pain points of the era: from 'leisurely' to 'rolling and crawling,' whose life isn’t a carefully packaged 'loser'?

Some netizens from mainland China have vividly illustrated the parabolic fate of the grassroots class based on the lyrics of Wang Shijian. At 18, they enter university 'with ease', graduate full of passion, 'handling it with ease', but by 30, working overtime becomes the norm in a 996 work culture, leading to a life 'in a rush'. At 40, they face a midlife crisis, and after losing their jobs, they find themselves 'crawling and rolling'. At 50, life resembles a play, and the play mirrors life, with people speaking nonsense with their eyes wide open. By 60, they experience retirement syndrome, taking care of their grandchildren for their children, feeling so exhausted they want to 'cry'. At 70, in their old age, they struggle to look back on their past, summarising their lives as 'no prospects!' 

This song not only captures the emotional struggles of ordinary people in mainland China but also addresses the pain points of the current era, making it a genuine 'voice of suffering for the Chinese people' today. Graduating from university only to face unemployment, dealing with workplace competition, the so-called 35-year-old curse, and the overwhelming pressures of education, healthcare, and housing, all contribute to anxiety about retirement. Their lives should have been elegant, yet they find themselves crawling in the mud.' Many netizens have remarked, 'This is not just a song; it's my diary.' The song has ignited a wave of complaints from the working class in mainland China regarding the current societal conditions under the Chinese Communist Party, transitioning from a passive stance to a self-mocking form of awakening: 'no prospects!' 

Wang Bo stated in an interview, 'It is so real, just like our lives—what should have been elegant is instead a constant struggle in the mud.' The viral success of 'No Prospects' seems to stem from a release of pessimistic emotions, but it also serves as a humorous deconstruction and resistance against the oppression of the Chinese Communist Party.

The underlying reason for the song's explosive popularity in mainland China lies in the grassroots appeal of Taiwan's democratic system and the political ecology of free speech to mainland internet users. Within the ranks of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), corrupt officials are not only embroiled in bloody power struggles among themselves, but the relationship between officials and the public has deteriorated to a point of irreconcilable conflict. These officials, bloated and corrupt, exploit local communities and oppress ordinary citizens. The Chinese people have their sufferings, but are unable to voice them.

To mask the unpopularity of its dictatorial regime, the CCP often deliberately distorts Taiwan's democratic system, portraying the debates and arguments among legislators over specific issues or proposals as chaos. This, however, is a reflection of the inclusiveness of democracy, which the CCP maligns as disorder, effectively brainwashing the mainland populace. Wang Shijian (Wáng Shìjiān) is a very relatable Taiwanese politician, and his actions in the legislature, where he 'cries out for the common people' and openly critiques government officials without hesitation, represent behaviours and statements that are utterly impossible within the CCP's officialdom. These 'seditious' actions and words evoke deep envy among mainland netizens. The lyrics of 'No Future' vividly reflect and mirror the dynamic political ecology of Taiwan's democratic system, akin to a 'steaming hot street snack': legislators can publicly confront mayors, and the public can witness 'verbal battles.' The elusive dream of democracy for mainlanders finds expression in Wang Shijian's (Wáng Shìjiān) rendition of 'No Future.' The spirit of the democratic system has successfully launched a counteroffensive in the mainland.

Interestingly, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has not only refrained from banning the song "No Future" but has also seen official media outlets like Phoenix Network and Chongqing Daily publicly support it. While some have attempted to link this to Taiwan independence, it is important to note that Wang Shijian's political stance is deeply pro-Taiwan and strongly anti-communist, something the CCP is likely aware of. This situation raises intriguing questions: leading up to the Fourth Plenary Session, the CCP has displayed unusual chaos and disorder across political diplomacy, the economy, and public opinion. Could this be an indication of significant changes to come at the Fourth Plenary Session?

The song "No Future" resonates strongly with listeners, prompting netizens to create various renditions featuring different subjects. Why not take this creativity a step further? A Xi Jinping version of "No Future" could potentially become the standout rendition of this versatile song.

Over his more than ten years in power, Xi Jinping's fixation on maintaining authority and party control has led to poor management of what could have been a strong position, resulting in numerous failures. He has humorously been dubbed the "Emperor of Incomplete Projects." Let’s envision a "Zhongnanhai Crying Rap":

Set against the backdrop of a night banquet at Zhongnanhai, Xi leads the performance of the "Economic Version of No Future": "It should have been a construction boom, with housing prices soaring effortlessly, but now we see unfinished projects everywhere, Evergrande's crises, and real estate companies struggling to stay afloat! With eyes wide open, they speak of common prosperity, yet with eyes closed, they lament the national debt! What are you crying about? No future!"

Next, he performs the "Technology Version of No Future": "It should have been a self-sufficient chip industry, overtaking competitors with ease, with trillions invested; but now, SMIC is facing restrictions, Huawei is crying poor, desperately seeking exemptions from the U.S.! With eyes wide open, they talk about self-sufficiency, but with eyes closed, they lament being choked! What are you crying about? No future!"

In the final performance of 'The Chinese Dream is Hopeless,' the lyrics express: 'It should have been a personal deployment and command, managing everything with ease. Instead, it has turned into a hurried and shattered dream, rolling and crawling through chaos. With my eyes open, I shout to face a world where the East rises and the West falls; with my eyes closed, I lament the complete failure of the entire plan and the downfall of the Fourth Plenary Session! Why cry? It's hopeless!'

Xi's rendition of this funeral song evokes a profound sense of immersion, making it arguably the most mournful song of the new era!

(First published by People News) △