Brother Sharp, a homeless man in Ningbo, Zhejiang, captured the fancy of millions of mainland internet users early this year.
Many called the 34-year-old, whose real name is Cheng Guorong, the country's coolest man.
Cheng sported a layered look, often incorporating women's cast-off clothing, and was never seen without a cigarette as he roamed the streets of Ningbo.
Thousands of online fans nicknamed him Brother Sharp. Some likened him to Japanese movie star Takeshi Kaneshiro.
The mentally ill beggar rose to national prominence in January after a Ningbo resident posted a picture of him on the internet.
Cheng left his hometown, Shangrao, Jiangxi, 11 years ago, after his wife was killed in a car accident, and became a migrant worker in neighbouring cities to support his two children.