Viral China maths genius’ new workbook sells 26,000 copies in 4 days, sparking mixed reactions

A famous Chinese mathematician known for his dishevelled genius image recently began selling workbooks for primary and secondary school students, which were quickly sold out within days.Wei Dongyi, 35, is an associate professor in the Mathematics Department at Peking University.He gained instant fame in 2021 after a vox pop on the Peking University campus. In the video, he appears dressed simply, carrying a 1.5-litre plastic bottle of water and a bag of steamed buns.In the clip, he shared that he has studied at Peking University since his bachelor’s degree and is now a teacher there. Although he comes across as introverted, he remains unfazed, a characteristic later described by his admirers as typical of genius.Wei gained instant fame in 2021 after a campus vox pop at Peking University. In the video, he appeared dressed simply, carrying a 1.5-litre plastic bottle of water and a bag of steamed buns. Photo: DouyinWei’s remarkable past was uncovered by curious onlookers. The mathematician from Shandong province in eastern China was a mathematics prodigy.He earned international recognition in his field by winning two gold medals at the 49th and 50th International Mathematical Olympiads, achieving perfect scores in both.As a result, he was affectionately dubbed “God Wei” by his followers.Since 2010, Wei has pursued his studies at Peking University up to the postdoctoral level. He also declined opportunities to study abroad, modestly attributing it to the difficulty of English.Last year, Wei registered social media accounts to thwart impersonators claiming his online identity.On August 18, Wei posted his first video in 14 months, introducing his method for solving a primary school maths problem.It was later revealed that this was a promotional video for his newly published workbooks – one aimed at primary school students, priced at 39.8 yuan (US$6), and another for junior secondary students, priced at 49.8 yuan.The picture above shows promotional online material for his newly published maths workbooks for primary and junior secondary school students. Photo: QQ.comWei serves as the editor-in-chief of these workbooks.The commercial nature of this move raised questions about the authenticity of the account. However, Peking University later confirmed that it was indeed Wei’s account, leading parents to swiftly buy the workbooks – 26,000 copies sold in just four days – prompting the account to remove the product listings without explanation.Further ReadingNonetheless, store staff indicated that the books would continue to be available through specialised bookstores.Wei’s foray into the supplementary education market has sparked mixed reactions. Some criticised him for potentially profiting from his fame at the expense of his academic reputation, while others supported him and pleased to see him take a more “down to earth” stance.Wei gained international recognition in his field by winning two gold medals at the 49th and 50th International Mathematical Olympiads, achieving perfect scores in both. Photo: Douyin“I do not think Wei seeks to profit from his fame. He would have been wealthier long ago if that were his intention,” one commenter stated.“We should thank ‘God Wei’ for his willingness to teach children,” remarked another.“I hope my child can embody God Wei’s spirit on their learning journey,” said a parent who bought a workbook.