Yao Ming attends a dinner banquet hosted by the Yao Ming Fan Club in Houston on Thursday. [Photo/China Daily]

Yao's image began to appear on the popular Chinese social media WeChat when he arrived in Houston on Tuesday on Air China – some enthusiastic fellow travelers snapped photos of him and posted it.

Following the reception hosted by the mayor, Yao also attended a dinner banquet hosted by the Yao Ming Fan Club, where he met with some of his loyal fans who cheered him over the years.