Shanghai lockdown: cyberbullies attack Chinese graduate student for ‘showing off’, call her ‘rubbish’ for sending US$7,690 worth of chocolates to classmates to cheer them up

The young woman was trying to do a good deed following a call for positive lockdown attitudes from a university counsellor

But her experience with cyberbullying highlighted just how cruel the internet can be

Reading Time:3 minutes

A Chinese graduate student was cyberbullied after she tried to do a good deed and buy chocolates for classmates stuck in lockdown. Photo: SCMP composite

Published: 12:00pm, 26 Apr 2022Updated: 1:18pm, 31 May 2022

A well-intentioned graduate student stuck in Shanghai’s lockdown has unwittingly become a source of online derision after spending 50,000 yuan (US$7,690) of her savings on chocolates that she donated to her classmates stuck in their dormitories.

The incident has renewed calls in China to strengthen protection against cyberbullying, which has become a feature of the country’s battle against Covid-19.

In the latest incident reported by the Shanghai Observer, Chen Zhenzhen, a student at Shanghai Normal University, bought the chocolate for her classmates after a school counsellor encouraged students to try and keep a positive mentality during the city’s ongoing lockdown.

The counsellor promised to buy and distribute chocolates to the students once the treats became available, which is where Chen saw an opportunity to make a positive impact.

Chocolates that were delivered to students locked down in dormitories. Photo: Weibo

Making the single largest purchase of her life, Chen bought a bulk order from a nearby supermarket that delivered the chocolates to the university. The school then distributed the sweets on April 4 to the students stuck in lockdown.

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