Brother Blanket becomes popular on the Internet

If you surf Chinese websites long enough you will probably notice how things or people become popular on the Chinese Internet can be a bit strange and unpredictable. This recent viral photo has just made “Brother Blanket” the latest Internet meme in China.

(From Netease) A graduating senior at Hunan Agricultural University unconventionally wrote these words “Brother is leaving” on his blanket and hang it on his dorm room balcony. The downstairs balcony then “replied” with “Ding upstairs”. (A pun to Chinese BBS forum: A forum post is called a building and each comment below is a story of the building. Ding means to support or to raise.) Thus netizens call him “Brother Blanket”. (Photo by 张骛)

China news, Changsha reports on June 16 “Genius! This brother is awesome, and his calligraphy is good!” Recently a photo forum post “Brother Blanket shockingly appears at Hunan Agricultural University” quickly became popular on a social networking website, then it was widely shared onto many other websites and forums.

“The conventional way for graduating seniors to celebrate is to have dinner gathering and taking graduation photos, I have never seen hanging blanket to express one’s feeling.” The person who took the picture, Zhang Wu first thought it was unique so he posted the photo onto a social networking website, and never thought it would cause such hype.

“Calligraphy is so sharp, awesome!” “Very creative, good!” many netizens commented on the post to praise Brother Blanket’s creativity. Netizen Li Yanzi said “The blanket is still hanging there, makes me laugh every time I see it, so talented.” “Blue comes from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant itself, (meaning the pupil surpasses the master) we used bed sheets back the days, now changed to blankets.” An already graduated netizen said.

However some Internet users are “naysayers”. A netizen felt sorry for the blanket, “Such a nice blanket! Pay silent tribute to it!” And someone who paid closer attention to the photo noticed a not so “harmonized” scene “There is an Ajax jersey next to it, I guess it hasn’t been washed for over six month, hang it under the sun then continue wearing it next time.”

As for Brother Blanket’s action, most people expressed understanding and support. “Whether it is hanging blankets or taking graduation photos, in the end it is to commemorate the passing of four years of good time and their youth in the university.” Fellow graduating senior spoke the mind of many others. “Don’t always use ‘brother’ to describe everything, he is cherishing the memory of his alma mater and the college years right before graduation, don’t make it into entertainment, it is a expression of feelings.” One netizen Nianbei said.

*There is already a Baidu wiki page  for Brother Blanket.