Disciples of Zhou Zishu

From Fanlore
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Discord server
NameDisciples of Zhou Zishu (DZZS)
Date(s)April 30, 2021 - present
Fandom(s)Word of Honor
URLtwitter account
Related articles on Fanlore.


Disciples of Zhou Zishu is a discord server for fans of the Chinese drama Word of Honor, the RPF ship Gong Jun/Zhang Zhehan (LLD), and related Chinese media.[1] As of February 2023 there are 400+ members.

The server hosts fanwork challenges, watch parties, and discussions on a variety of topics related to Word of Honor, the original danmei webnovels by priest, and other media of interest to the members.

According to the server's twitter account, "We have a zero tolerance policy towards homophobia and reject the homophobic message of the IG account. We maintain a line of extreme skepticism towards the account and everything it claims."[2] The "homophobic message of the IG account" is a reference to Zhang Zhehan's letter and video, posted to his instagram account, condemning Gong Jun for continuing to market to CP fans without his consent. The server is welcoming to fans who believe the theory that Zhang Zhehan no longer controls his instagram account. See 813.

Fan Responses

Testimonial from an LLD fan:

I also want to give a big shout out and heaping of love to the dzzs server 💜💜💜 when the shit hit the fan last year, @treefragment

and all the lovely mods opened up their server and gave a safe haven for everyone to go to ground - it was the fandom's saving grace #LLDFest2k22

and the dzzs server has consistently been one of the calmest, most joyful fandom spaces I've eber been in, due in large part to the admins/mods always making sure everyone felt welcomed and protected, including taking a stand on multiple occasions when the lld community was -

let's be real - getting thrashed out there. yall created space for lld-land in the server when you really didn't have to.[3]

Negative experience from a fan who was kicked out of the server:

DZZS and junzhe shippers like to say all the ways they're traumatized, so let me chime in: dzzs, and the conspiracy theories, ruined fandom for me. Not just junzhe. all fandom.

realizing that people I liked and trusted not only believed in an insane conspiracy theory, but were willing to harass and bully people - and STILL are - to defend it has made me feel unsafe in fandom space, and especially fic space

I can't trust that people don't actually believe in the fic to the degree that they will actively hurt people. I was kicked out of dzzs not because of anything I did, but because of who I was friends with. No one contacted me prior to ask or warn me....

It's not a community space. It's a cult , and it's hurt people.[4]

Disagreement over the server's atmosphere:

[sanlanglovemail]

again, you really do not need to forgive me/agree with me/etc but i really encourage you AND EVERYONE to think hard about what the vibe is like in dzzs and how people act and whether you want to spend time in that kind of social space[5]

[crabsnaks]
i understand and i truly hear you. i’ve been online for 20+ years and i know what it’s like.

but you’re wrong about the server. not everyone there agrees with each other. not everyone has the same beliefs. it’s not a toxic place.

the server is one of the most supportive and kind places i have ever been. you may not believe me and fine if you don’t. i’m not saying it’s perfect, because nowhere is. but we’re there to create and laugh and watch and support.

one thing that the internet has made me very worried about is the idea that your friends have to be exactly on the same page as you with everything. that’s not reality. not feasible. impossible and echo-chambery.[6]

[sanlanglovemail]

man are you hearing yourself?????????? there is a server stance on zhang zhehan and if you talk about doubting it you are asked to take the conversation elsewhere. if that's not a toxic echo chamber i literally do not know what is[7]

fail_fandomanon also discussed the server in a negative light, especially during a July 2022 incident that took place on twitter between two members of the server, one a Junzhe tinhat and the other not. The non-tinhat, philologicalbat, accused the tinhat of bullying, then, while bullying the tinhat, shared screencaps from private conversations on the server.[8] The tinhat, amethystfiend, left the server, locked their twitter account, and anonymized all their AO3 fic. Server mods banned some members who had interacted with philologicalbat's tweets. See Re: Fandom Venting - DZZS, Archived version and Re: Fandom Venting - DZZS drama continued, Archived version.

Challenges

References