China Memes & Viral

‘Chinese Traditional Culture University’ Turns Out to Be Fake

The ‘Chinese Traditional Culture University’ sounded so refined, but it turned out to be a sham.

Published

4 years ago

April 24, 2021

A crackdown on an educational institute known as the “China Traditional Culture Institute University” (“中国国学院大学”) has become a major news topic on Chinese social media this weekend. The institute was banned for being an “illegal social organization” (“非法社会组织”) without any accreditation.

The ‘China Traditional Culture University’ was found to have forged official documents and registration certificates. Besides its main location in Beijing, the institute has 70 branches in various cities across China, including in Tianjin, Guangzhou, Guangdong, and Shenzhen.

These branches, including a “China National University of Chinese Medicine and Life Sciences” (中国国学院大学国医药生命科学院), an institute of “Mao Studies” (中国国学院大学毛学研究院), and a “Laozi Research Institute” (中国国学院大学老子研究院) have now also all been banned.

Beijing Youth Daily reports that the institute was not officially registered and forged official credentials. The organization collected money by holding various award and inauguration ceremonies and events across the country. They claimed to be an affiliate institution of the Ministry of Culture to train Chinese officials as well as international ambassadors and cultural workers.

Because of its name, its nationwide presence, and its alleged association with many high-reliability organizations, the fake university apparently fooled many into thinking it was a qualified and renowned educational institute.

According to its own former website, which has since been taken down, the institute was established in 2009 and taught courses in Chinese language and literature, Chinese Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, calligraphy and painting, martial arts, Chinese medicine, and more.

On Weibo, the hashtag page “China Traditional Culture University Taken Down” (#中国国学院大学被取缔#) received over 210 million views on Saturday. A video report showing authorities taking down the university’s sign was widely shared.

Many people on social media express disbelief at how this university could go on for so many years, establishing 70 branches, without being caught. The institute’s new branch openings or award ceremonies made it to local newspapers multiple times.

“Their name sounds so high-end, but they were passing off fish eyes for pearls,” one Weibo commenter said. Other commenters also note how the fact that the institute’s name contained “China” (中国) and “academy” (学院) and “university” (大学) made it sound trustworthy.

In 2019, a social media storm broke out when it turned out that students studying at the Nanjing Institute of Applied Technology (南京应用技术学校) had actually been studying for a ‘fake Major’ (假专业) since their study programmes were not even registered.

“How many fake schools are there out there?”, some people wonder.

The "China Traditional Culture Institute University" that now turns out to be a complete sham had 70 branches across China with some catchy names, including an Institute of Quantum Medicine, Mao Studies, and Dragon Culture (https://t.co/Z5Y4hhGnYH). pic.twitter.com/T59A48X0N9

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 24, 2021

By Manya Koetse

Follow @whatsonweibo

Spotted a mistake or want to add something? Please let us know in comments below or email us. First-time commenters, please be patient – we will have to manually approve your comment before it appears.

Up Next

Dancing Schoolgirl from Xi’an Becomes Viral Hit

Don't Miss

Chinese E-Readers: The Best E-book Devices in China

Manya Koetse

Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to content, including the Weibo Watch newsletter, which provides deeper insights into the China trends that matter. More about Manya at manyakoetse.com or follow on X.

Click to comment

China Memes & Viral

Strange Encounter During IShowSpeed’s Chengdu Livestream

The cosplaying girl, who usd the n-word and told the American YouTuber how racist she was, seems to have been referencing a meme.

Published

4 weeks ago

March 31, 2025

Manya Koetse

After visiting Shanghai, Beijing, and the Shaolin Temple in Henan, popular American YouTuber IShowSpeed (Darren Watkins) livestreamed from Chengdu on March 31.

During his stream, he visited a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, tried acupuncture, had some extremely spicy hotpot, and continued doing the kinds of activities that have defined his China tour so far – from kung fu to the Forbidden City.

The trip has been a success not just for Watkins, who recently surpassed 37 million YouTube subscribers, but also for China’s image abroad. Some have even suggested it’s become more of a soft power or propaganda tour (read more in our latest newsletter).

But not everything has gone smoothly. Within the span of a week, Watkins has become significantly more famous in China. In addition to YouTube — which is not accessible in China — he also began streaming on Douyin. All of this made his March 31st livestream a bit more chaotic, and for the first time, he also experienced some connection issues.

In Chengdu, with as many as 4 million viewers watching the livestream on Douyin, one moment in particular sparked controversy online. Just before Watkins entered a car, a girl in cosplay attire approached him and said:

💬 “I am a racist. I am a ni**a killer. I am so sorry about that. But I love your girlfriend, because your girlfriend is my [white?] people.”

When Watkins asked if she spoke English, she replied:

💬 “Yes, I am a racist. I am racist.”

After the incident, Watkins commented:

💬 “I don’t think she understood what she was saying.”

Watch the video here.

The girl was cosplaying as one of the characters from the mobile role-playing game Blue Archive, most likely Saiba Momoi (才羽モモイ), known for her mouse-like appearance, complete with two ears on top of her head.

On Chinese social media platforms, including Weibo and Xiaohongshu, the moment soon became a point of discussion. Among the commenters, there are those fearing the incident will negatively impact the image of Chengdu, and some suggesting the local Tourism & Culture Board will make sure to blacklist the girl.

Others focused more on the background of the girl, suggesting she is from Japan or Hong Kong, and trying to sabotage Watkins’ positive China trip.

It appears, however, that the female cosplayer may have been referencing the “racist Momoi” or “Saiba Momoi Says The N-Word” meme.

This meme originates from an edited clip of Saiba Momoi, in which she appears to say what sounds like the N-word. According to the Danbooru site, the clip was later modified to include other slurs.

The character has also been linked to the “Nàge song.” As explained in our newsletter yesterday, the song “Sunshine, Rainbow, White Pony” (阳光彩虹小白马) by Chinese singer Wowkie Zhang (大张伟), which repeatedly features the Chinese word nàge in its chorus (meaning “uh” or “that”) — popped up multiple times during Watkins’ trip. The catchy tune essentially became the theme song of his visit.

A few years back, a clip of Watkins first hearing the song and mistaking the chorus for the N-word already went viral on Chinese social media. The confusion between the Chinese filler word and the slur has been extensively joked about by Watkins himself throughout his streams.

The connection between the girl, the Saiba Momoi meme, and the Nàge song, however, is only known to a niche audience. It is possible that the girl tried to be funny, but she obviously failed in doing so.

By Manya Koetse

(follow on X, LinkedIn, or Instagram)

Follow What’s on Weibo on

China Digital

Chinese Netizens Turn to Tim Cook Over Battery Factory’s Illegal Overtime

Is turning to Western suppliers an effective way for workers to pressure domestic companies into complying with labor laws?

Published

1 month ago

March 20, 2025

Manya Koetse

🇨🇳 CHINA TRENDING WEEK 12: WHAT’S ON WEIBO SHORTS
We include this content in the Weibo Watch newsletter. Subscribe to get it in your inbox 📩

Recently, Chinese netizens have started reaching out to Apple and its CEO Tim Cook in order to put pressure on a state-owned battery factory accused of violating labor laws.

The controversy involves the Huizhou factory of Desay Battery (德赛电池), known for producing lithium batteries for the high-end smartphone market, including Apple and Samsung. The factory caught netizens’ attention after a worker exposed in a video that his superiors were deducting three days of wages because he worked an 8-hour shift instead of the company’s “mandatory 10-hour on-duty.” Compulsory overtime violates China’s labor laws.

In response, the worker and other netizens started to let Apple know about the situation through email and social media, trying to put pressure on the factory by highlighting its position in the Apple supply chain. In at least one instance, Apple confirmed receipt of the complaint. (Meanwhile, on Tim Cook’s official Weibo account, the comment section underneath his most recent post is clearly being censored.)

Screenshot of replies on X underneath a post by Tim Cook on International Women’s Day.

The factory, however, has denied the allegations, , claiming that the video creator was spreading untruths and that they had reported him to authorities. His content has since also been removed. A staff member at Desay Battery maintained that they adhere to the 8-hour workday and appropriately compensate workers for overtime.

At the same time, Desay Battery issued an official statement, admitting to “management oversights regarding employee rights protection” (“保障员工权益的管理上存在疏漏”) and promising to do better in safeguarding employee rights.

One NetEase account (大风文字) suggested that for Chinese workers to effectively expose labor violations, reporting them to Western suppliers or EU regulators is an effective way to force domestic companies to respect labor laws.

Another commentary channel (上峰视点) was less optimistic about the effectiveness, arguing that companies like Apple would be quick to drop suppliers over product quality issues but more willing to turn a blind eye to labor violations—since cheap labor remains a key competitive advantage in Chinese manufacturing.

By Manya Koetse

(follow on X, LinkedIn, or Instagram)

Follow What’s on Weibo on