The Loofah Soup Phenomenon: Globalization, Media, and Changing Family Norms in China

Chen, Meijing; Zhang, Jinrui

The Loofah Soup Phenomenon: Globalization, Media, and Changing Family Norms in China

James Alexander Gordon on 12th February 2026

Author Information

Meijing Chen, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, China
Jinrui Zhang, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, China

Abstract

A short video titled Loofah Soup, created by blogger @Lei Zi, has garnered 67,000 comments and nearly 1.3 million likes on Douyin (Chinese TikTok), triggering widespread resonance and imitation among Chinese families. Using this video as a case study, this research applies Fei Xiaotong’s Differential Mode of Association, integrating perspectives from globalization and cross-cultural psychology to explore the core characteristics of intergenerational communication in contemporary Chinese families, the roots of intergenerational differences, and the formation of new family concepts. The study focuses on the first generation of parents raised after China’s reform and opening-up and their Generation Z children, adopting a case study and textual analysis approach. Findings indicate that contemporary Chinese families still retain four core characteristics derived from the differential mode of association. However, the video’s popularity has publicly exposed intergenerational conflicts, breaking the traditional norm that “family ugliness should not be publicized.” Notably, globalization drives changes in family concepts, which represent cultural adjustments rather than a wholesale rejection of tradition. The study employs mediatization and cross-cultural psychology theories to explain how such videos facilitate modern transformation. This research innovatively combines Fei Xiaotong’s classical sociological theory with the new media cultural phenomenon of short videos, transcending the textual limitations of traditional family studies by reflecting real family dynamics through public feedback. It provides a new theoretical perspective for interpreting intergenerational conflicts in contemporary Chinese families and offers practical insights for building modern family communication models based on equality and respect, thereby enriching interdisciplinary research in digital culture and family sociology.