Public scrutiny surrounding the September death of Chinese actor Yu Menglong has intensified sharply in recent weeks, as petitions demanding a new investigation surpassed 680,000 signatures and a wave of unverified rumours continued to dominate Chinese social media. Police in Beijing have maintained that the 37-year-old actor died from an accidental fall linked to alcohol consumption, insisting there were "no signs of criminal involvement." But the official account has been overtaken online by allegations of foul play, industry-wide misconduct and even supernatural testimony.
Yu, known for The Moon Brightens for You, was found dead after a fall from a fifth-floor residential building in Beijing's Chaoyang District on September 11. Authorities ruled the death accidental, yet online speculation has spiralled into a national phenomenon. A petition calling for a "thorough, independent, and transparent investigation" gained rapid traction by mid-November. The case shifted further when a political commentator alleged that Yu's genitals were mutilated and consumed by a film director, pointing specifically to filmmaker Du Qiang as "missing," though no formal accusation or evidence accompanied the claim.
Other rumours have inundated Chinese platforms, ranging from purported audio of Yu's distress in actress Tian Hairong's video to a leaked autopsy suggesting multiple injuries. Police have arrested three individuals accused of disseminating false information, though this has not stemmed public suspicion. Speculation deepened after millions of users revived the so-called "Tianyu Death List," alleging that nine artists tied to Tianyu Media died under suspicious circumstances over a 13-year span. Former company mentor Sun Derong was quoted online as saying the company's internal rule was, "It's better to kill by mistake than to let someone go free."
These claims, none supported by official evidence, have nonetheless shaped public narrative. Investigations by online commentators highlighted that "hundreds of companies and 45 trademarks" were registered under Yu's name, covering businesses as disparate as cleaning products, fireworks and weapons-details seized upon by netizens who believe Yu uncovered illicit corporate activity tied to his management agency. The closure of Yu's two personal studios shortly before and after his death fuelled further conjecture.
Adding to the frenzy, a viral video featured a Beijing taxi driver claiming Yu's spirit told him, "I didn't fall myself, I was pushed," and that he "had witnessed major illegal activities within the company and was punished by death for not remaining silent." Supporters in Taiwan responded by creating a symbolic ID card with the letter "P" for "Paradise," asserting Yu was now "free in the other world." A Chiayi spirit medium vowed to seek "spiritual justice," declaring, "The truth will come out one way or another."
Residents of Yu's apartment complex reportedly refused to speak to media and began listing their units for sale, a development interpreted by online communities as evidence of pressure or fear. Meanwhile, Weibo removed more than 100,000 posts and suspended thousands of accounts as authorities attempted to clamp down on speculation.
Despite these efforts, public distrust of the official ruling continues to deepen, propelled by allegations, conspiracy theories and spiritual claims that have transformed Yu Menglong's death from a celebrity tragedy into a broader crisis of confidence in China's entertainment and corporate sectors.
