The Beijing Playboys - a nickname given by internet users to four wealthy young men known for their extravagant lifestyles and romances with actresses - have once again become the hottest topic online after one of them was recently charged with illegal possession of weapons.
Wang Shuo, 29, was also charged with destroying evidence after a showdown with another member of the foursome, Wang Ke, in December.
Wang Shuo allegedly pointed a gun at Wang Ke after a car race through the capital ended when they both crashed. He then reversed into Wang Ke's car, which burst into flames. Mainland newspapers said Wang Shuo fled the scene and told three security guards employed by his company to destroy evidence, including video footage taken by surveillance cameras.
Police later found that Wang Shuo possessed four other guns, 2,000 air-rifle pellets and six military bullets.
Five staff at his company have been charged with helping him buy firearms and with destroying evidence. Prosecutors filed the case on September 2 and Wang Shuo is due to stand trial in Beijing's Dongcheng District People's Court.
The court case has reignited public interest in the four young men - tabloid reports and internet gossip delve into their personal lives and long lists are drawn up detailing the number of actresses to whom they have been linked.
In Chinese, they are called jingcheng sishao (literally, the capital's four young masters). It was a nickname first given to four young, upper-class celebrities during the early days of the Republic of China at the beginning of the last century.
