A “reluctant influencer” has died after falling from her horse and suffering fatal head injuries.
He Jiaolong was an agricultural official who shot to viral fame last year.
She had been filmed riding through snowy grasslands in a red cloak to promote tourism in a region of China.
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The promo made her an overnight sensation with millions of followers on Chinese social media.
But He – who worked as director of agricultural products brand development – was apparently reluctant to take advantage of her online fame.
The Communist Party member said civil servants should focus on serving the people rather than becoming internet celebrities.
She also stressed that horseback riding is an essential skill for frontline officials in pastoral areas, as they still need to reach isolated communities where vehicles cannot go.
The 47-year-old, who worked for the government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, north-west China, passed away yesterday (14 Jan).
She fell off her horse while filming an agricultural promotional video near the city of Bortala on Sunday (11 Jan).
After suffering serious head injuries, He was taken to the Bortala People’s Hospital for emergency treatment, as reported by NeedToKnow.
She was transferred to the ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University in Ürümqi on Tuesday, but succumbed to her injuries the following day.
He, who was born in Shehong in Sichuan Province in December 1979, received numerous awards during her career, including the March 8th Red-Banner Holder, and 2022 Figure of the Year in Agriculture.
In 2020, she launched a series of livestreaming campaigns on social media to promote local agricultural products.
Since 2023, she helped more than 400 agricultural companies complete e-commerce upgrades.
In recent years, she was involved in promoting culture and tourism in Xinjiang.
Her passing was mourned by many of her online followers.
One said: “Through her livestreams, we saw the many breathtaking landscapes of Xinjiang and came to know its rich array of high-quality agricultural products”
Another added: “In an age driven by material desire, she was truly someone who wrote her public service ideals onto the land itself.”
A third remarked: “The people of Xinjiang will never forget you and neither will people across the country.”
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