With more than 26 million followers on Douyin, China's domestic version of TikTok, the 41-year-old was among the country's most prominent influencers - even while building his reputation in a niche field. By offering students and parents advice on university applications and choice of majors, he sought to help them achieve what many view as an all-important goal: better job prospects.
Issues of employability are complex in China, and Zhang was known for his extremely pragmatic approach. It also made him a highly controversial figure. Zhang once declared that "any major is better than journalism" and described liberal arts majors as a "service industry that caters to others".