Frugal Chinese math genius 'God Wei' sells over 30,000 workbooks in social media comeback

Wei, 34, an associate professor at Peking University's School of Mathematical Sciences, returned to Bilibili on Aug. 18 with a video titled "An Interesting Problem" and began selling math workbooks he edited, according to Chinese online news site Lianhe Zaobao.

The books, designed to develop mathematical problem-solving skills among primary and middle school students, are priced at 39.8 yuan and 49.8 yuan.

By the morning of Aug. 23, the primary-school workbook had sold more than 20,000 copies and the middle-school edition more than 10,000, generating over one million yuan in combined sales, according to Sina Finance.

The workbooks were also promoted through the Douyin accounts of Wei's relatives and a store called "Wei Dongyi Books," operated by Hangzhou Yishu Cultural Industry Development Co., Ltd., according to Jimu News. Livestreamers on Chinese short-video platforms also began marketing the books as demand surged.

Chinese math genius Wei Dongyi. Photo from Weibo

The two books later disappeared from Wei's Bilibili store. However, customer service representatives told China Youth Daily that they had sold out rather than been withdrawn, and their sales channels were being adjusted.

Their rapid commercialization prompted some social media users to question whether the accounts and products were genuinely associated with the mathematician. Peking University confirmed that the Bilibili account belonged to Wei, while publisher Longmen Book Company and one of his relatives confirmed that the workbooks were edited by him.

The sales boom marks the latest wave of public attention for the mathematician, widely nicknamed "God Wei" in China for his exceptional mathematical ability and frugal lifestyle.

Born into an academic family in Shandong province, eastern China, Wei displayed an aptitude for mathematics from an early age. He won consecutive gold medals with perfect scores at the International Mathematical Olympiad in 2008 and 2009. His achievements earned him admission to Peking University without taking the gaokao, China's national university entrance examination. He later completed his doctorate at the university and joined its faculty.

He first became a national sensation in 2021 after a street interview showed him wearing worn-out clothes and carrying a large bottle of water and a plastic bag containing three steamed buns.

His profile grew further when he made his social media debut on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, on June 4, 2025. His first post, a four-second video introducing himself in front of a blackboard, received more than 13 million likes, while his account attracted over 23 million followers within five days, according to China News.

Wei and fellow Peking University mathematician Zhang Zhifei received the Second Prize in the State Natural Science Award at China's 2025 National Science and Technology Awards on July 8 for research into flow transition mechanisms.

Despite his academic achievements and growing celebrity, he continues to lead a modest lifestyle.

He reportedly earns more than 600,000 yuan a year but spends less than 300 yuan a month. He has said he has little interest in going online and prefers listening to the radio when he is not teaching or studying mathematics.