Within China Hoaxes
Why Impossible Breakthroughs Won Powerful Backers
Miracle fuel and supernatural demonstrations prospered when secrecy, spectacle and national ambition replaced controlled testing.
On this page
- The water to fuel promise
- Paranormal demonstrations under weak controls
- Prestige, secrecy and failed verification
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Introduction
China’s history of famous hoaxes and debunked claims includes a distinctive category: spectacular inventions and paranormal demonstrations that appeared to promise shortcuts to scientific progress. During the reform era and the decades of rapid modernisation that followed, claims of extraordinary powers or revolutionary energy technologies sometimes attracted attention from officials, researchers, investors and the media before rigorous independent testing had taken place. In several cases, prestige, secrecy and national ambition helped remarkable stories travel further than the evidence justified.
Two recurring examples stand out. One involved repeated claims that water could somehow be turned directly into a practical fuel source for vehicles. The other centred on celebrated “superhuman” figures who claimed paranormal abilities ranging from telekinesis to the movement of objects through sealed containers. Both stories reveal how difficult it can be to separate genuine innovation from spectacle when demonstrations replace transparent verification.[zygonjournal.org]zygonjournal.orgZygonQIGONG FEVER AND THE SCIENCE–PSEUDOSCIENCE…by J Li · 2015 · Cited by 26 — For example, supporters had once asserted that in 1982…
Why Impossible Breakthroughs Won Powerful Backers
China’s modernisation created strong incentives to discover transformative technologies and scientific breakthroughs. Ambitious claims could attract attention because they seemed to offer solutions to real problems: energy security, industrial advancement, healthcare challenges or national prestige.
That environment did not automatically produce fraud. Many researchers were pursuing legitimate scientific advances. The difficulty arose when dramatic claims were promoted before they had survived independent scrutiny. Public demonstrations, endorsements from influential figures and restricted access to testing often created an aura of credibility. Once a claim became linked to institutional prestige, questioning it could become politically or socially uncomfortable.[China Underground]china-underground.comChina Underground Rise and fall of the Qi Gong frenzy in ChinaChina UndergroundRise and fall of the QiGong frenzy in ChinaJanuary 23, 2014 — 23 Jan 2014 — China attempted to fast-track scientific pro…
The result was a recurring pattern:
- A claim promised an extraordinary breakthrough.
- Supporters emphasised demonstrations rather than open replication.
- Critics struggled to obtain access to controlled tests.
- Independent examination either failed to confirm the claim or exposed weaknesses in the evidence.
- The story survived in popular memory long after official enthusiasm faded.
The Water-to-Fuel Promise
Among the most persistent miracle-invention stories are claims that ordinary water can directly power vehicles or be converted into usable fuel with minimal energy input.
The basic scientific problem is straightforward. Water is already a chemically stable substance. Separating it into hydrogen and oxygen requires energy rather than releasing it. Any device claiming to extract large amounts of usable energy from water alone must overcome fundamental principles of chemistry and thermodynamics. For that reason, “water-powered car” claims have repeatedly been rejected by physicists and engineers around the world.[Wikipedia]WikipediaWater-fuelled carWater-fuelled car
The Youngman Automobile controversy
One of China’s most widely discussed examples emerged in 2019 when automobile entrepreneur Pang Qingnian and his company Youngman Automobile became the focus of national attention after reports that a prototype vehicle could run on water. Local media accounts described a technology that supposedly generated hydrogen from water in real time and allowed hundreds of kilometres of travel from a tank of water. Some local officials publicly praised the project before detailed evidence was available.[CGTN News]news.cgtn.comCGTN NewsChinese firm says having developed water-fueled car…27 May 2019 — The company's prototype car could travel up to 500 kilomete…
Scientists and engineers quickly questioned the claims. Critics pointed out that generating hydrogen from water requires an external energy source and that the public descriptions did not explain where that energy originated. Observers also noted the absence of transparent independent testing and peer-reviewed technical evidence. As scrutiny increased, the announcement became a national object lesson in the dangers of promoting spectacular technological claims before verification.[cgtn.com]news.cgtn.comCGTN NewsChinese firm says having developed water-fueled car…27 May 2019 — The company's prototype car could travel up to 500 kilomete…
The significance of the episode was not simply that a questionable invention was proposed. Rather, it showed how official enthusiasm, media excitement and commercial incentives could combine to amplify a claim that had not yet met basic standards of scientific validation.
Why such claims remain attractive
Water-fuel stories have appeared repeatedly in many countries because they promise a near-magical solution to energy problems. In China, as elsewhere, these claims often gained additional appeal when framed as evidence of domestic technological ingenuity or a coming industrial revolution.
The lesson from repeated failures is not that revolutionary technologies are impossible. It is that extraordinary energy claims require especially transparent testing because the underlying scientific barriers are already well understood.[Wikipedia]WikipediaWater-fuelled carWater-fuelled car
Paranormal Demonstrations Under Weak Controls
If miracle fuel represented the technological side of impossible breakthroughs, the paranormal movement associated with the 1980s “qigong fever” represented the human side.
During this period, millions of people became interested in practices that were said to improve health, unlock hidden abilities or reveal unusual mental powers. A number of self-described masters claimed capacities that went far beyond traditional health exercises. Stories circulated about telepathy, psychokinesis, remote perception and the ability to move objects through sealed containers.[zygonjournal.org]zygonjournal.orgZygonQIGONG FEVER AND THE SCIENCE–PSEUDOSCIENCE…by J Li · 2015 · Cited by 26 — For example, supporters had once asserted that in 1982…
Zhang Baosheng and the “superman” era
No figure became more famous than Zhang Baosheng. During the height of the paranormal boom, Zhang was presented by supporters as a person possessing extraordinary powers. Demonstrations reportedly included moving small objects through barriers, reading hidden information and other feats described as paranormal. He attracted attention from scientists, government officials and military observers, becoming one of the most celebrated figures of the movement.[Wikipedia]WikipediaZhang BaoshengZhang Baosheng
Supporters pointed to experiments and demonstrations that appeared impressive. Some reports were serious enough to be circulated within official and research circles, and accounts of his alleged abilities even reached foreign intelligence and research observers interested in claims of psychic phenomena.[CIA]cia.govApproved For Release 2000081THE EXPERIMENT DEMONSTRATED THAT MR ZHANG BAOSHENG POSSESSES. PARANORMAL ABILITIES. HE CAN MAKE SMALL OBJE…
The problem was that many demonstrations occurred under conditions that sceptics regarded as inadequate. Independent investigators argued that opportunities for trickery, sleight of hand or uncontrolled variables had not been eliminated. When magicians and sceptical researchers examined similar performances internationally, they repeatedly found that apparently supernatural feats could often be reproduced through ordinary illusion techniques. Criticism intensified as attempts at rigorous replication failed to produce convincing evidence that paranormal powers were real.[Wikipedia]WikipediaZhang BaoshengZhang Baosheng
The attraction of paranormal science
The popularity of figures such as Zhang was not simply a matter of superstition. Many supporters believed they were witnessing a new scientific frontier. Some researchers hoped that unusual human abilities might reveal unknown physical principles, while others saw paranormal research as a potentially distinctive path to scientific innovation. The boundary between scientific investigation, popular enthusiasm and wishful thinking often became blurred.[Zygon]zygonjournal.orgZygonQIGONG FEVER AND THE SCIENCE–PSEUDOSCIENCE…by J Li · 2015 · Cited by 26 — For example, supporters had once asserted that in 1982…
That ambiguity helps explain why paranormal demonstrations could receive attention from educated audiences as well as ordinary believers. The claims were frequently presented not as folklore but as emerging science awaiting confirmation.
Prestige, Secrecy and Failed Verification
The most revealing aspect of these stories is not the specific invention or paranormal feat. It is the mechanism that allowed them to flourish.
In both miracle-fuel claims and paranormal demonstrations, credibility often rested on controlled access rather than open verification. Supporters emphasised selected demonstrations, endorsements and testimonials. Critics asked for repeatable tests under independent observation. The conflict usually centred on whether outsiders could examine the claim under conditions that eliminated hidden assistance, selective reporting or experimental bias.[zygonjournal.org]zygonjournal.orgZygonQIGONG FEVER AND THE SCIENCE–PSEUDOSCIENCE…by J Li · 2015 · Cited by 26 — For example, supporters had once asserted that in 1982…
Several factors repeatedly strengthened doubtful claims:
- Prestige: Endorsement by respected officials, institutions or scientists encouraged trust.
- Secrecy: Inventors often claimed that key mechanisms could not yet be revealed.
- National aspiration: A breakthrough seemed especially attractive when it promised technological leadership.
- Media amplification: Dramatic demonstrations generated publicity far more easily than technical criticism.
- Asymmetric evidence: A single striking performance could attract attention, while disproving it required lengthy investigation.
When independent verification eventually arrived, many claims lost their force. Yet the original stories often remained culturally powerful because they appealed to hopes about hidden knowledge, untapped human potential or revolutionary technology.
What These Cases Reveal About China’s Hoax History
Impossible inventions and staged paranormal powers occupy a distinctive place in China’s wider history of hoaxes and debunked claims. Unlike forged fossils or fake wildlife photographs, these stories promised access to something entirely new: a shortcut beyond ordinary scientific limits.
Their importance lies less in whether every promoter acted dishonestly than in how institutions evaluated extraordinary claims. The recurring lesson is that spectacle can create credibility faster than evidence. Public demonstrations, patriotic excitement and influential supporters may persuade audiences temporarily, but claims that cannot survive transparent, repeatable testing rarely endure.
For historians of deception, the enduring fascination of these episodes is that they were often embraced not by fringe outsiders but by people who believed they were participating in the future. The eventual collapse of many such claims therefore illustrates a broader truth: scientific authority is strongest not when it celebrates miracles, but when it insists that remarkable ideas withstand independent scrutiny.[zygonjournal.org]zygonjournal.orgZygonQIGONG FEVER AND THE SCIENCE–PSEUDOSCIENCE…by J Li · 2015 · Cited by 26 — For example, supporters had once asserted that in 1982…
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Endnotes
1.
Source: news.cgtn.com
Link:https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d674d334d544f34457a6333566d54/index.html
Source snippet
CGTN NewsChinese firm says having developed water-fueled car...27 May 2019 — The company's prototype car could travel up to 500 kilomete...
Published: May 2019
2.
Source: china-underground.com
Title: China Underground Rise and fall of the Qi Gong frenzy in China
Link:https://china-underground.com/2014/01/23/rise-and-fall-of-the-qigong-frenzy-in-china-when-superstition-and-science-collide/
Source snippet
China UndergroundRise and fall of the QiGong frenzy in ChinaJanuary 23, 2014 — 23 Jan 2014 — China attempted to fast-track scientific pro...
Published: January 23, 2014
3.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Water-fuelled car
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-fuelled_car
4.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Zhang Baosheng
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Baosheng
5.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390002-1.pdf
Source snippet
Approved For Release 2000081THE EXPERIMENT DEMONSTRATED THAT MR ZHANG BAOSHENG POSSESSES. PARANORMAL ABILITIES. HE CAN MAKE SMALL OBJE...
6.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00792R000200650002-3.pdf
7.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00792R000300400002-9.pdf
8.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp96-00792r000200650003-2
9.
Source: zygonjournal.org
Link:https://www.zygonjournal.org/article/id/14238/
Source snippet
ZygonQIGONG FEVER AND THE SCIENCE–PSEUDOSCIENCE...by J Li · 2015 · Cited by 26 — For example, supporters had once asserted that in 1982...
10.
Source: caixinglobal.com
Title: five things to know about chinas wacky water fueled car controversy 101420459
Link:https://www.caixinglobal.com/2019-05-27/five-things-to-know-about-chinas-wacky-water-fueled-car-controversy-101420459.html
Source snippet
Caixin GlobalFive Things to Know About China's Wacky Water-Fueled...27 May 2019 — Last week, news broke about a Chinese automobile compa...
Published: May 2019
11.
Source: skepticalinquirer.org
Title: paranormal in china
Link:https://skepticalinquirer.org/newsletter/paranormal-in-china/
Source snippet
Skeptical InquirerParanormal in ChinaMar 1, 1995 — Zhang believed that everyone could get SA by training in Qi Gong and that those who ha...
Additional References
12.
Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K33d0EoGXWQ
Source snippet
Qi Powers and Levitation: The Crazy Story of John Chang...
13.
Source: digitalcommons.oberlin.edu
Link:https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1684&context=honors
Source snippet
Digital CommonsThe Rise and Fall of Qigongby WJ Cramer · 2020 · Cited by 1 — Although similar Daoist practices have existed for thousands...
14.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Alleged qigong master accused of fraud
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k2kpUK2q5A
Source snippet
The Rise and Fall of "Qigong Master" Wang Lin: How He Fooled Half of China with Magic Tricks and...
15.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Superhuman Tape Measure Skills DEBUNK
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsXQInxxzBU
Source snippet
SHAOLIN TRAINING Methods Explained | Myth vs Reality | Legendary Training Series...
16.
Source: archive.org
Link:https://archive.org/stream/PaulDongChinasSuperPsychics/Paul%20Dong%20-%20China%27s%20Super%20Psychics_djvu.txt
17.
Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/69bkfr/til_zhang_baosheng_was_subject_to_a_series_of_cia/
18.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/historishhh/videos/-the-filipino-who-claimed-a-car-could-run-on-waterwhat-if-water-could-replace-fu/1297443308862424/
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Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twexksm_yRA&vl=en
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Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHyiZXgA-Hg
21.
Source: captaincool07.medium.com
Title: chinese government encounters with paranormal activities c3dea3eb832e
Link:https://captaincool07.medium.com/chinese-government-encounters-with-paranormal-activities-c3dea3eb832e
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