“Sang” culture continues to have a hold on Chinese Millennials, as the tongue-in-cheek despondency spreads from memes to tea.

“Sang” culture continues to have a hold on Chinese Millennials, as the tongue-in-cheek despondency spreads from memes to tea. Originally, “sang” was a word reserved for mourning but young Chinese adults adopted it to express their outward apathy. “Seemingly dull” memes, like a picture of “a middle-aged man slouched on a couch with a look of resignation,” have gone viral, and mascots include the “limpid egg yolk” emoji. The melancholy mindset has spread as a response to “growing public anxiety” among “[M]illennials who are upset by societal pressures and unmet expectations.” (Caixin Global)