You Met Me at a Very Chinese Time in My Life

Cover Photo Credit: Daniel S. Burton

A recent development online has generated mass interest in China. To some, it may just be a meme, but there are people who really integrate Chinese culture into their lives. Whether it be medicinal practices, fashion, internet trends, ideology, or language, there is a spike in young people on TikTok “becoming Chinese.”

It has become common on TikTok for people to follow Chinese sickness remedies, such as making apple tea and drinking hot water. Chinese fashion trends are also circulating, such as the Adidas Cheongsam jacket, derived from the athleisure style. China has also influenced LGBTQ+ trends as genderless fashion has become popular among Chinese youth. 

When it seemed the government was going to ban TikTok in Winter 2025, some users began migrating from TikTok to the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, or “RedNote,” and mingling with Chinese netizens. 

China has been garnering more support and curiosity from TikTok users, with other trends such as “Chinese Summer” playing on the 2024 trend “Brat Summer.” Classic Chinese songs like “Jīn shēng yuán” have been circulating, as broader Chinese culture slowly makes its way into mainstream online culture.  

The phrase originates from the line “you met me at a very strange time in my life,” from the end of David Fincher’s 1999 film Fight Club. A Communist symbolism appears simultaneously with the line as the big bank buildings collapse from Tyler Durden’s anti-capitalist terror attacks. This reflects the leftist demographic of people “Chinamaxxing,” who express their political position through slogans such as “Glory to the CCP,” and idolizing former Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong.  

One can consider this rhetoric “Memetic Warfare,” a term describing a modern form of informational and psychological warfare that involves propagating internet memes. “Chinamaxxing” has generated actual interest in China’s form of government, and though China did not orchestrate this trend to our knowledge, TikTok users have expressed a genuinely more positive opinion on China than prior to this trend. 

China has been the victim of much scrutiny due to being America’s rival on the world stage. Just five to six years ago, there was a spike in Chinese-targeted racism due to COVID-19. Since then, as China is rising higher in power and growing more involved in global trade deals, public opinion has changed.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs released poll results stating that 53% of Americans say that they favor U.S. engagement and cooperation with China, up from 40% in 2024. 

As China and America’s power gap decreases by the day, one can only wonder if this trend is really about China, or if it is symbolism about the power America is losing on the world stage?