Meng Tong

Meng Tong, born in the 1960s, once studied in Germany. After returning to China, he decided to go into Beijing’s nightlife industry and in 2000 opened the VICS bar at the Workers’ Stadium. That year the management fee alone reached 700,000 RMB, while the venue’s revenues were far higher. Before opening VICS, Meng had run a bar called “Jiejue” (literally “Solution”) near Peking University that sold beer for only 10 RMB, a sharp contrast to the market at the time, yet it survived successfully.

In 2003, impacted by the SARS epidemic, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture implemented restrictive measures on entertainment venues, changing the nightclub landscape. Many clubs closed; only a few near the Workers’ Stadium continued operating, including Meng Tong’s MIX and VICS bars. Meng kept VICS running until February 2009, a run of eleven years, making it one of Beijing’s more representative nightclubs.

On the personal side, Meng Tong is married to the well-known singer Na Ying. The couple registered their marriage in Canada at the end of 2006. Na Ying has shown aspects of her family life in public—for example, for her 45th birthday Meng had a heart-shaped cake made that was printed with photos of Na Ying and her children. After marriage Na Ying focused more on family and appeared less in the public eye, maintaining a low profile. The couple have two children.

In entertainment-circle social activities, Na Ying and Meng Tong attended many gatherings together, including banquets with musicians and team members. Na Ying’s role as a coach on The Voice of China made her close to her contestants; she was often referred to as an “elder” within the family-like group. As her spouse, Meng Tong also frequently appeared at family and social occasions, reflecting his role as a stable partner in private life.

Meng Tong’s trajectory in the nightlife business and his steady image in family life drew public attention, highlighting his status as one of the early pioneers of Beijing’s nightclub scene.