China’s wealth-flaunting meme goes viral

Chinese social media users have seized on a viral meme in which people are pictured literally rolling in their own wealth, spawning a range of cheeky counter-posts poking fun at the country’s nouveau riche. Posts related to the aptly-named Wealth-Flaunting Challenge on China’s popular Weibo platform had been viewed more than 2.3 billion times, drawing more than a million comments.

In the meme, which originated in Russia, social media users post pictures of themselves falling face-down to the pavement as they exit their cars, the ground strewn with their cash, credit cards, jewellery, designer bags and shoes, and other luxury items and electronics.

But the meme has inspired a wealth of parodies in China, with people seeing it as a golden opportunity to mock the rich. Even government agencies have joined the party, providing a propaganda bonanza. And companies have seized on the frenzy to advertise their goods.