“Funereal Culture” Is Visible Everywhere

A curious culture with a strange name has taken hold of a subset of China’s millennials: “丧 sàng culture.” Sàng is the Chinese character that can mean funeral, ill fortune or a feeling of depression. In this context, sàng describes a culture of lethargy and self-loathing. Blogger Liang Xin, who runs a WeChat channel called Culture Industry Commentary, discusses where the trend is visible, how it emerged and how brand managers commercialize it. He shows that sàng culture is not unique to China. Similar cultures have developed in Korea, and Western memes and cartoons project comparable messages. Liang, a member of the post-90s generation, also gives his take on what may be at the heart of sàng culture. getAbstract recommends this article to young professionals, people working in marketing and branding, and anyone interested in social trends or pop culture.