China’s culture, soft power and viral lifestyle trends

This cluster tracks how Chinese culture is moving from something people observe to something they actively adopt and perform. Stories range from foreigners immersing in Spring Festival and Lingnan heritage to global internet trends like ‘Chinamaxxing’, where young Westerners copy Chinese study, diet and lifestyle habits. At the same time, domestic social shifts—such as Chinese singles renting fake partners for Lunar New Year to dodge family pressure—reveal tensions between tradition and modern expectations. Together, these pieces show China’s growing soft power online and the complex realities behind the culture being exported and emulated.