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| Record-Breaking Rise: Xie Zheng Becomes Platform’s Fastest-Rising Character. (Credits: Tencent Video) |
The numbers are doing the talking. Within just days of release, Pursuit of Jade (逐玉) has delivered one of 2026’s most decisive breakout moments, with Zhang Linghe’s Xie Zheng surpassing 200 million popularity points on iQIYI — a first in the platform’s history and a signal that the actor’s rise is no longer speculative, but firmly established.
The milestone, recorded on 8 March 2026, arrived just three days after the costume drama premiered. It did not come out of nowhere. Xie Zheng had already crossed 100 million popularity before the first episode aired, setting an unprecedented pre-release benchmark.
The same pattern followed on Tencent Video, where the character also cleared 100 million ahead of broadcast, underlining rare cross-platform traction.
Beyond streaming metrics, the momentum has extended into social media and industry tracking. On Weibo, Xie Zheng’s character index exceeded 90 million by mid-March, making it one of the fastest-rising fictional roles of the year.
Zhang Linghe himself crossed 100 million in personal popularity rankings, becoming the first actor to do so within this cycle of industry tracking.
Data from Yunhe further places Xie Zheng’s dominance index above 1.29 million, among the highest recorded for a male drama character in 2026.
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| Zhang Linghe’s Xie Zheng Breaks 200 Million Popularity on iQIYI. |
At the centre of this surge is the character itself. Xie Zheng is written as a layered figure — outwardly fragile, inwardly resolute, balancing aristocratic restraint with the authority of a battle-hardened general.
Zhang Linghe leans into that duality with a performance built on restraint rather than spectacle. His physical preparation, including a reported weight loss of around 15 pounds, sharpens the contrast: a visibly lean frame paired with controlled intensity.
Close-up scenes, particularly those driven by eye expression rather than dialogue, have become key talking points among viewers.
Several sequences have already circulated widely online. One battle aftermath scene, showing Xie Zheng injured yet composed, drew significant engagement and quickly became shorthand for the character’s tragic-heroic appeal.
It is this balance — vulnerability without weakness — that appears to be driving repeat viewership and sustained discussion.
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| Tencent Video |
Fan activity has also played a measurable role in amplifying the drama’s reach. A coordinated campaign titled “Protect Xie Zheng” mobilised tens of thousands of organised viewing sessions, contributing directly to platform engagement metrics.
Separate fan-led fundraising efforts reportedly approached 3 million yuan, used to secure promotional placements and sustain trending visibility.
While such campaigns are not new, the scale and speed here reflect a highly mobilised audience base.
Platform strategy has matched that momentum. Tencent Video introduced character-specific visual effects to enhance engagement, while iQIYI rolled out animated promotional content that surpassed 100 million views.
International distribution has further extended the drama’s footprint, with global streaming support ensuring that the conversation is not limited to domestic audiences.
For Zhang Linghe, the implications are immediate. He now stands as the only post-1995 actor with dramas exceeding the 10,000 heat index threshold across iQIYI, Tencent Video, and Youku — a metric increasingly used to define bankable status in the current market.
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| iQIYI |
Commercially, the impact is already visible, with new endorsement deals emerging, including partnerships with luxury brands such as Dior.
Industry observers suggest this moment could mark a transition point. Rather than a single-hit surge, the focus now shifts to whether Zhang Linghe can convert visibility into longevity through carefully selected projects across both television and film.
Early indications point to a structured strategy aimed at broadening his portfolio while stabilising his influence.
Among viewers and netizens, reactions remain varied but consistently engaged. Some praise the performance as a career-defining turn, highlighting the emotional precision and controlled delivery.
Others point to the broader production — from writing to visual styling — as equally responsible for the character’s success. A smaller but vocal segment questions whether the scale of fan-driven promotion inflates perceived popularity, reflecting an ongoing debate within the industry about metrics versus organic reception.
What is clear, however, is that Pursuit of Jade has secured its place in the current cycle of drama releases, and Xie Zheng has become one of its most recognisable figures. Whether this momentum holds will depend on narrative consistency in the remaining episodes and the audience’s appetite for sustained character development.
What do you make of Xie Zheng’s rise — a genuinely standout role, or a perfect storm of timing, fandom power, and platform push?