Reference News, January 26 report: According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post website, on January 24, many overseas netizens have recently started a new trend of "becoming Chinese," incorporating elements of Chinese daily life into their own lives.

These lifestyle changes mainly involve traditional health and wellness methods common in Chinese culture, such as drinking warm water instead of cold water, wearing slippers indoors instead of walking barefoot, eating cooked vegetables instead of raw vegetables for salads, and practicing the Eight Brocades Qigong. Such videos have gone viral online.

This trend was initiated by TikTok influencer Sherry Xiirui (@sherryxiiruii), an American of Chinese descent who frequently shares her cultural insights online.

In a video she posted at the beginning of January, Sherry humorously and seriously said, "From tomorrow on, you are going to become a Chinese person."

She discussed various winter health habits based on traditional Chinese medicine, including avoiding cold foods and wearing slippers indoors.

Her humorous yet mysterious style resonated with audiences, quickly earning 30 million likes.

This sparked a wave of imitation of Chinese lifestyles online, with many foreign netizens declaring "I want to become a Chinese person" or "I want to become a Chinese girl."

A foreign comment read: "As a newly made Chinese person, I have three pairs of slippers at home. I haven't had cold drinks for weeks. I take my new Chinese life very seriously."

Another person said: "Since I found out I'm Chinese, my sleep schedule has never been so regular."

Chinese netizens and media have taken a positive attitude towards this trend, praising foreigners for wanting to "become Chinese."

"As an American Southern girl raised on coarse cornmeal, I'm excited to try drinking porridge," one user said.

Sherry's Chinese name is Zhu Xirui. Her family comes from a small town called Pinghu in Zhejiang Province. When she spoke to the media, she said she has always been interested in Chinese culture since childhood.

"I tell everyone that Chinese people like to drink hot water and what benefits it brings to the body, and people are willing to listen and learn," Sherry said fluently in Chinese.

She also said, "I am especially happy to share Chinese culture in the United States, letting them experience our Chinese culture."

At the same time, some influencers have emphasized the importance of physical comfort and health.

The official Chinese media view this trend as a sign of the growing soft power of China.

A commentary said that many young people abroad hold a positive view of China. This shift reflects a change in the mindset of foreign netizens, from distant observation to active participation in identifying with Chinese culture.

This trend has also sparked heated discussions on Chinese social media. A user commented: "Earlier, someone told me that foreigners only drink cold water because it's good for the body, but the facts prove they don't know the benefits of drinking hot water." (Translated by Wenyi)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7599484416368329226/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author."