What is Lán Shòu, Xiāng Gū? 蓝瘦香菇到底是个什么梗？
Receiving hundreds of thousands of shares on Wechat and Weibo in recent weeks, this meme has set China’s Internet alight. But blue and thin? Shiitake mushroom?! Netizens of China, where on Earth did this meme come from?
While “using all my prehistorical powers,” a now historic phrase uttered by Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui during a post-match interview in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games caused a buzz on social media, “blue and thin, shiitake mushroom” has overwhelmingly taken that meme’s place as the biggest buzzword across all social platforms.
(Picture via Jiemian.com)
WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT THEN?
The phrase, which seems to make absolutely no sense when translated into English, is from a video selfie, in which a man from Nanning, southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, complains in sheer angst and heartbreak, that he is “Nán Shòu, Xiǎng Kū” (translated as “I feel so bad, I wanna cry”), and repeats the words over and over again, following his recent breakup with his girlfriend.
This poor guy’s monologue is delivered in a strong local accent, and features a confusion between the pronunciation of “l” and “n” in Mandarin, as well as a difference in intonation, making his plea of angst sound like “Lán Shòu, Xiāng Gū” (蓝瘦，香菇). And that ladies and gentlemen, is how the Internet arrived at “blue and thin, shiitake mushroom.”
The phrase soon took China’s social media platforms by storm after the video was posted online, with hundreds of thousands of netizens, including dozens of celebrities, sharing it, and imitating the thick accented words along with his amusing facial expressions.
(Jay Chou, famous musician and singer from China’s Taiwan wrote “蓝瘦香菇” on his Facebook page)
(Chinese actress Fan Bingbing used “蓝瘦香菇” on her Weibo account)
(Chinese actor Lin Gengxin used “蓝瘦香菇” on his Weibo)
HOW CAN WE USE THE MEME?
As one of the most popular buzzwords in the country, “Lán Shòu, Xiāng Gū” is being used as either an adjective or just an independent interjection by people of all ages and from all walks of life, who use it to express slight dissatisfaction or simply the feeling of being upset, in a light and amusing way.
e.g.
1. 怎么还不来暖气，冻到蓝瘦香菇！
It’s so cold, why hasn’t the central heating been turned on yet? Lán Shòu, Xiāng Gū!
2. 麻雀的大结局还没来得及看！蓝瘦，香菇！
I don’t even have the time to watch the final episode of Sparrow (the latest big spy-themed TV series in China), Lán Shòu, Xiāng Gū!
3. 万年双十一，不变单身狗，蓝瘦，香菇！
Single’s Day (November 11th) is once again around the corner, and I’m still forever alone, Lán Shòu, Xiāng Gū!‘
4. 假如生活欺骗了你，不要蓝瘦，也不要香菇。
If you’ve ever been deceived in life, don’t be Lán Shòu, and don’t be Xiāng Gū!
SO HOW BIG IS THIS MEME?
Instead of simply being a catchy buzzword used by millions of netizens, the phrase has also forged its way into multiple areas including business and the food industry, as well as acting as inspiration for a number of musicians and artists.
A dish called “Lán Shòu, Xiāng Gū,” was created by a canteen at Hunan University, with images being shared thousands of times as people admire this gourmet dish of broccoli, purple cabbage and, of course, shiitake mushroom.
Besides being adopted as an absorbing slogan for canteen dishes, the words on October 13 were also registered as a trademark by a Shenzhen-based company, which has an extensive business scope, ranging from manufacturing electronic products to producing plastic and steel.
It is however not the first time that an online buzzword has attracted so much attention that it was trademarked. As many as 30 companies have registered “Honghuangzhili” (literally translated as “prehistorical power”) as their brand names, after the trendy phrase swept through social media both at home and abroad during the Olympics in August.
“蓝瘦香菇” is truly everywhere already. If you type the characters into the search box of any music app, you can find dozens of songs under that title, using lyrics courtesy of the sad soliloquy of the young man in the original video.
HOW ARE PEOPLE RESPONDING TO “蓝瘦香菇”？
While “蓝瘦香菇” has become an online phenomenon, different opinions have arisen in response, with some people in favor of the Internet meme suggesting that the phrase to some extent enables the general public to vent their feelings of frustration in both a relaxed and unique way.
“I like the words because I think they demonstrate the optimistic attitude people have when confronting setbacks” @joy commented on Weibo.
@Shuibenwuse echoed that stance, by saying that using the words is just a way for people to entertain themselves, and there is no need to make a fuss by looking at the meme from a moral perspective.
Some others however have expressed a rather negative view on the meme, noting that it showcases the barren spirit of modern netizens, and mocks people from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region by laughing at and stereotyping their regional accent.
This meme, like many others before it, is “bound to fade away,” reported Guangzhou Daily, adding “they make no sense and have no reason to remain in online public discussions.”
Have you ever experienced a “蓝瘦香菇” moment? What is your view on this meme, and other memes in general? Share your thoughts with CCTVNEWS.