Chinese Real Estate Blogger With 1 Million Followers Permanently Banned From Douyin

A view of a complex of unfinished apartment buildings in Xinzheng city in Zhengzhou, China’s central Henan Province, on June 20, 2023. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty ImagesA prominent Chinese real estate commentator known for his bearish views on the country’s housing market has been permanently banned from Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, sparking debate over online speech restrictions as the nation’s property downturn deepens.The blogger, who goes by the name “Yi Lu Xiang Bei,” had more than 1 million followers and was widely known for his repeated warnings that property prices would continue to fall. In multiple videos, he advised followers to “de-real-estate” their assets, arguing that cash would hold greater value than property in the years ahead.