For better or for worse, “wealth flaunting” has long been a feature of Chinese social media, attracting the attention and outrage of social media users over the years. In 2019, Sixth Tone’s Kenrick Davis
Extravagant displays of wealth have long been a content staple in China’s cyberspace. In 2011, Guo Meimei, a woman who claimed to be a Red Cross Society volunteer, famously tarnished the humanitarian organization’s image by posting pictures of luxury handbags and a Maserati sports car on her social media account. More recently, billionaire playboy Wang Sicong has cultivated a reputation for showing off his wealth by posting photos of $400,000 karaoke club bills and the seven iPhones he purchased for his pet dog.