Viral Week is our weekly round-up of the weekend’s trending memes, humor, rumor, gossip, and everything else Chinese netizens are talking about.

Shanghai Disneyland goes into lockdown after Covid-19 case

The Shanghai Disney Resort entered lockdown on Halloween after a guest tested positive for Covid-19. All visitors and cast members inside the park were required to take a nucleic acid test before they could leave, and must take another test after 24 hours. If both tests return negative results, guests are asked to self-monitor for 12 days. Netizens have praised Disney’s efficient response to the case. The resort is now closed until further notice.

Grandson of legendary author Lu Xun claims to be bad writer

Zhou Lingfei, the eldest grandson of Lu Xun, arguably the most famous Chinese writer of the 20th century, recently went viral on social media for his close resemblance to his grandfather, as well as comments about the pressure of being the grandchild of a famous figure. Zhou, a non-smoker, said he was previously asked to smoke because it was his grandpa’s habit, and claims people often assume he is a talented essayist, even though he hates writing. But Zhou said he was delighted to see that young people still paid attention to Lu Xun in the modern day.

Monkey King spotted getting Covid-19 test

Three actors dressed as the Monkey King Sun Wukong, Pigsy, and the monk Tang Seng, all characters from the 16th century classic novel Journey to the West, were spotted getting Covid-19 tests in Xianyang, Shaanxi province. The actors were getting tested after coming to town to perform at a local fair.

Livestreamer accused of faking poverty for clicks

Authorities in Liangshan, Sichuan, accused a blogger surnamed Lu of faking poverty by filming a young boy giving a scripted speech about his miserable life to attract views. Lu is said to have deliberately dirtied the boy’s face, and filmed him in front of a rundown shack to give the illusion of hardship. Local authorities say that the boy and his family receive 631 RMB a month from government subsidies and already live in a two-story house provided by the government two years ago as part of poverty alleviation efforts. Lu was ordered to delete the video and apologize.

Red panda surprises tourist with hotel room visit

When a Ms. Zhang entered her hotel room inside the Nantong Forest Safari Park in Jiangsu province, she was surprised to find an adorable red panda in her room. The panda was treated to apple slices and played with pillows in the room, apparently unwilling to leave. Park staff eventually got the panda back into the wild. Park management said there are no restrictions on where red pandas can roam in the park, but they discourage guests from interacting with wild animals unsupervised.

Dowry of 288 pigs amazes netizens

A bridal dowry consisting of 288 pigs, each with the character 囍 (“double happiness”) for marital blessings printed on its back, stunned guests at a wedding in Linfen, Shanxi province, as well as viewers on the internet when videos of the ample gift went viral.

Famous archaeologist dies on the job after falling from cliff

Liu Tuo, a 31-year-old archaeologist from Peking University known for his work on the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan, died last Monday from a fall off of a cliff while exploring Tibetan Buddhist frescoes in Sichuan province.

Apple sued for not providing phone chargers

Five Chinese students from Beijing’s University of Chemical Technology and Shanghai’s Donghua University are suing Apple for not providing phone chargers with the purchase of their latest iPhones. The students argue that Apple’s primary reason for omitting the charger is to promote sales of its Magsafe charger, while the company states it did not include a charger in order to reduce packaging and protect the environment. The students are asking Apple to provide a wall charger, pay 100 RMB for breaching its “service contract,” and cover legal fees. The courts are currently collecting more evidence.