Two-way street

Academic bar organizers, hosts and lecturers are also benefiting from the gatherings.

Gao said sharing his life experiences through lectures boosts his efforts to make the visually impaired better understood by the wider public.

Diagnosed with juvenile macular degeneration at the age of 13, Gao went through many struggles and challenges before he found new hope in stand-up comedy.

With humorous accounts of his experiences, he has brought greater public attention to the rare disease and offered newfound confidence to those who have the condition.

"The public and society must see and know us first to do something further," he said.

"Xiaohongshu is a big platform with extensive influence, particularly among young people who have the desire to acquire and share knowledge. They represent the future and will soon be the backbone of society. The academic bar is a good chance, and platform, to make them see us."

Li Chenghao, a 25-year-old PhD candidate in applied economics who attends Antai College of Economics and Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, gave a lecture on financial analysis at an academic bar on Sept 20.

"The lecture was about a published paper of mine. It was still a challenge for me to explain the academic content in simple and brief words to an audience outside the field. Although I was unsure if such a topic would be accessible to them, it turned out quite positive and interactive," Li said.

"I even received some really good and valuable advice from them, as they could see things from different views and aspects based on their various work experiences."

Liu Qingge, a 31-year-old marketing consultant, frequently attends the academic lectures at Bunker. She has a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in criminology and values the diverse perspectives and learning atmosphere at these lectures.

"The audiences at the lectures are kind of 'self-selected' ones," she said. "They usually share similar knowledge, interests or curiosity about the same topic, and are willing to learn and be open for discussion.

"For me, it is interesting to learn from them, expand my horizons and better understand society and the world," said Liu, noting such lectures can offer the public a broad "general education" on various aspects of life.