'BECOMING CHINESE' TAKES SOCIAL MEDIA BY STORM

Content creators espouse the virtues of sipping ginger tea and trying acupuncture

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Sip hot water, wear slippers at home and start the day with a bowl of congee. This advice might sound too basic to Chinese people, for whom these are everyday rituals, but for a global audience curious about contemporary Chinese lifestyles, these are nuggets of wisdom.

When content creator Sherry XiiRuii started uploading humorous tutorials about everyday Chinese habits, hashtagged #BecomingChinese, on social media in late 2025, she probably did not think her videos would amass millions of views and become a viral social media trend.

In two months, her series of more than 20 videos — framed as a practical guide to "becoming Chinese" — had averaged a million views each.

In the videos, the Chinese American creator, with more than 9 million TikTok followers, playfully explains the Chinese take on wellness and household customs. Her success has sparked a wave of imitations across social media platforms, with creators espousing the virtues of soaking one's feet in warm water before bed, sipping ginger tea and acupuncture.

The trend has gained so much traction of late that it has drawn the participation of celebrities such as comedian Jimmy O Yang and influencer Hasan Piker.

It has also evolved beyond daily rituals, spurring related trends like#ChinaMaxxing — a hashtag that conveys growing online appreciation for China's infrastructure, urban development, public safety and modern conveniences. For many, China's success in these areas offers a viable alternative to Western ways of living.

In a recent interview with CGTN,XiiRuii said that while mainstream exposure to Chinese culture remains superficial in the US, introducing simple daily habits that are easy to adopt has created an accessible entry point for global audiences. Although she expects the initial social media hype to fade, she hopes a more meaningful outcome would be a lasting openness toward Chinese culture.

Observers attribute the viral spread of Chinese lifestyle content to several factors: a Western curiosity for ancient wellness practices, the younger generations' growing focus on healthy and sustainable living, and China's expanding soft power.

Simon Zundl, a German logistics and export packaging professional who lived in China from 2012 to 2019 and still visits the country regularly, said he thinks the trend is driven by a global appetite for "ancient wisdom" and a more holistic way of life — values still accessible in Chinese society.

Zundl first arrived in China in 2010 as a student and was immediately struck by the cultural contrasts. Over time, exposure to traditional Chinese medicine changed his perspective. He came to appreciate the health rationale behind habits like drinking hot water and ginger tea, eventually sharing them with his family in Germany. To him, the#BecomingChinese trend reflects a sustainable movement toward deeper cross-cultural understanding.

Shi Anbin, a professor at Tsinghua University and director of the Israel Epstein Center for Global Media and Communication, connected the trend to Generation Z's increasing focus on wellness and sustainability. He described habits such as drinking hot water and wearing slippers indoors as aspects of a broader philosophy oriented toward well-being and environmental consciousness.

The #BecomingChinese trend also reflects a broader expansion of China's cultural influence, which now reaches global audiences through animated blockbusters, designer toys and innovations in artificial intelligence and robotics. This appeal is reflected in the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2025, in which China ranked second.

This rise in soft power is being reinforced by increased people-to-people exchanges. Facilitated by initiatives such as the Belt and Road and streamlined visa-free transit policies, more international visitors are experiencing Chinese society directly, helping to reshape perceptions long influenced by a biased Western media.

Qu Qiang, an expert in regional and country studies at Minzu University of China in Beijing, described the #BecomingChinese trend as grassroots, peer-to-peer cultural exchange, distinct from past icons like pandas or kung fu.

lilei@chinadaily.com.cn