China's Xiang Yu NPC competition just ended — and the winner has a wild backstory

China just turned one of its most iconic historical figures into a full-on NPC hiring event — and yes, it blew up online.

At a tourist site in Suqian, Jiangsu dedicated to Xiang Yu, over 2,000 people applied for one job: becoming the official “Xiang Yu NPC” — a live performer who stays in character and interacts with visitors all day.

For context, Xiang Yu is basically ancient China’s ultimate warrior icon — a legendary general from around 2,000 years ago, known for his insane strength and his rivalry with Liu Bang, who later founded the Han dynasty.

After multiple rounds, five finalists made it to the live selection. The winner was Liu Yuhang, contestant No.5, a 00s-born fitness coach from Xuzhou, standing at 199 cm. His pay was calculated as height × 10, meaning 1,990 RMB per day — plus a 5,000 RMB “Best Xiang Yu” bonus. In just two days, he earned close to 9,000 RMB.

And then came the plot twist: he’s from Xuzhou… aka Liu Bang’s hometown. So naturally, the internet ran with it: “Liu Bang wins again” 😭

But that wasn’t the only highlight. Chinese actor Sun Jianqi also showed up as a special guest NPC. With his 188 cm build and full “ancient warlord” presence, he wasn’t competing — just there to interact with visitors. Still, his immersive performance instantly went viral.

So yes, this event basically had two stars: a crowned winner, and a guest “boss-level Xiang Yu.”