Photo: Weibo

College students around China shared an online lesson on prevention and control of COVID-19, which had four parts including cultivation of ethics thought and touching prevention stories. Education authorities also invited young idols to tell these stories to students.

The lesson was live-streamed on Monday and interpreted the Chinese government's decisions as well as policies combining content on the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, to analyze China's system superiority amid the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a notice published on the website of the Ministry of Education.

Wang Yuan, member of Chinese boy band TFboys, as a representative of young idols, was invited to tell touching stories of young people who are fighting the deadly virus at the frontlines during the lesson.

The attendance of the popular idol attracted students from across China to join in the lesson, leading to the collapse of the live-streaming platform that hosted the lecture.

"Wang Yuan appearing in the lesson increased its appeal and influence among young students, which is the positive effect of idols," Shi Wenxue, a cultural critic and a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

He said that Wang, who was born in the early 2000s, telling stories of people who were born in the same age as him can be more convincing, and can encourage more students to listen to these stories. "Those who have courage to fight the deadly virus are true idols to these young people."

More than 50 million people watched the live broadcast online and related platforms such as the website of People's Daily received over 125 million visits for the online lesson, according to People's Daily.

Besides Wang, other idols such as actress Guan Xiaotong, who is also a college student, participated in the online lesson.

"Chinese young people have power, which has been proved by our actions when facing disasters," one of Sina Weibo users commented.