Zhaxi Dingzhen, a 21-year-old Tibetan yak herder, became China’s biggest online influencer a year-and-a-half ago after social media users swooned over a short clip of his face, the South China Morning Post reports.

His online fame propelled him to the position of tourism ambassador for his hometown in Sichuan province – but not everyone has proved a fan.

Last October, he told a Chinese magazine that he simply shrugged off online criticism: “What I thought was, as the Tibetan saying goes: ‘When there are hundreds of people who like you, there may be tens of thousands who don’t.’”

However, Mr Dingzhen has now instructed lawyers to begin defamation proceedings against a number of online commenters. His lawyers have also warned others against making comments with “insulting, terrifying, vulgar or vilifying words”.

In a statement, Mr Dingzhen added: “Never dare do anything evil, no matter how trivial you think it is.”