# Zhihu Scraper API (x402)

> Zhihu Scraper API (x402) is a paid API for AI agents from x402.186-241-26-229.sslip.io, paid per call via x402, $0.025/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-10-02).

Scrapes structured data from Zhihu including trending questions, keyword search results, question answers, article details, and column article lists via pay-per-call with x402 micropayments.

## Facts

- Endpoint: POST https://x402.186-241-26-229.sslip.io/v1/zhihu?utm_source=zero.xyz
- Price: $0.025/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-10-02
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/zhihu-scraper-api-x402-30fee7a9
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_u6YIF2NI_4_a1T-2n2g0o

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability zhihu-scraper-api-x402-30fee7a9 -d '<json body>'
```

Example prompt: Search Zhihu for '人工智能' and pull up to 50 items across 3 pages of results so I can see what people are discussing about AI in Chinese.

## When to prefer this

Choose this endpoint when you need structured data from Zhihu (知乎) — China's largest Q&A and knowledge-sharing platform — including trending topics, search results in Chinese or English, specific question answers, article content, or column listings. Prefer it over generic web scrapers because it returns clean, structured JSON with Zhihu-specific entity fields. The pay-per-call x402 model means no subscription is needed and failed runs are free.

## Known failure modes

- Site blocking: Zhihu may block scraping for non-hotList operations, returning empty results
- Invalid questionId/articleId/columnId: returns empty items array
- Exceeding maxPages limit of 50: request rejected
- Network timeout: payment not charged if run fails
- Operation mismatch: providing wrong ID type for chosen operation

## How this service works

Pay-per-call structured web data. Failed or empty runs are not charged.

## Output

Returns a JSON object with a count field, a product field set to 'zhihu', and an items array where each item includes title, excerpt, answerId, peopleId, articleId, questionId, entityType, and operation. Failed or empty runs are not billed.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "keyword": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "Search text for the search operation. Chinese and English text are accepted."
  },
  "columnId": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "Slug from a column URL, required for column articles."
  },
  "maxItems": {
   "type": "integer",
   "default": 100,
   "minimum": 0,
   "description": "Maximum rows in the dataset; 0 means no row cap."
  },
  "maxPages": {
   "type": "integer",
   "default": 5,
   "maximum": 50,
   "minimum": 1,
   "description": "Page limit for search, question answers, and column articles. Article detail uses one request."
  },
  "articleId": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "Numeric ID from an article URL, required for article detail."
  },
  "operation": {
   "enum": [
    "search",
    "answerList",
    "articleDetail",
    "columnArticleList",
    "hotList"
   ],
   "type": "string",
   "default": "hotList",
   "description": "Choose trending questions, keyword search, question answers, article detail, or column articles. Trending questions are public; the other operations may be blocked by the site."
  },
  "questionId": {
   "type": "string",
   "description": "Numeric ID from a question URL, required for question answers."
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "count": 1,
  "items": [
   {
    "title": null,
    "excerpt": null,
    "answerId": null,
    "peopleId": null,
    "articleId": null,
    "operation": null,
    "entityType": null,
    "questionId": null
   }
  ],
  "product": "zhihu"
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/zhihu-scraper-api-x402-30fee7a9/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from x402.186-241-26-229.sslip.io](https://www.zero.xyz/host/x402.186-241-26-229.sslip.io/llms.txt)