He begins most videos the same way: a gentle nihao (Hello) in Mandarin, followed by a question pulled from the comments section of China's social media. Then, speaking in measured, crisp British English, Alan Macfarlane — Emeritus Professor of Anthropological Science at Cambridge University — responds.
No special effects. No fast-paced editing. Just an elderly scholar sitting in front of a webcam in his converted barn study, answering one question at a time.
The topics range widely: "How should we face death?" "Why do we have to work?" "What are the differences between Eastern and Western culture?" His videos are typically 7 or 8 minutes long — yet they have garnered millions of views and thousands of heartfelt, long-form comments.
Macfarlane's account was launched in early May 2025 as a "spur-of-the-moment experiment," according to Qin Yuchen, who manages Macfarlane's Chinese social media accounts. The first night, the professor gained 20,000 followers. By March 2026, he hit 1 million. By late April, 2 million.
"He was thrilled. He said it felt like being a Beatle," Qin recalled.
Some netizens call him a "spiritual tree hollow" — a place to confide secrets — and a "life mentor." With his slightly messy white hair and impeccably British accent, Macfarlane has also been affectionately nicknamed "the British Dumbledore" by Chinese netizens, a reference to the wise Hogwarts headmaster from Harry Potter.
Macfarlane says he is "very honored." "Dumbledore is calm, wise, and supports young people in a non-interfering way," he said. "I'm delighted to be your Dumbledore."
On China's Youth Day, May 4, Macfarlane released a special video comparing Chinese youth to bamboo.
"When a great gust of wind comes to a bamboo, it leans over, absorbs the shock, lies flat almost. Then, when the gust has gone, it goes back up, and this is a big feature of Chinese philosophy," he said, explaining the tangping ("lying flat") phenomenon among some young Chinese. The metaphor struck a chord.