Lucky leopard in Chinese TV drama becomes instant-hit in China as symbol for getting rich quick

A leopard from the Chinese TV drama "Journey to the West" has become an instant-hit in China these days. (Screenshot from an e-commerce platform)

A leopard from the Chinese TV drama "Journey to the West," which was adapted from the classic 16th-century novel with the same title, has become an instant-hit in China these days.

To everyone's amusement, many people have started using the image as their own WeChat profile photo as a lucky charm to wish for wealth in the lead-up to the Chinese New Year, which is just around the corner. This is because in the Chinese language the word "leopard" sounds like the word for getting rich.

"I don't believe in it, but I still followed all my colleagues' steps and changed my WeChat profile photo into it in the hope of winning some fantastic prizes at our company's annual meeting," said one online user.

But most people remain quite reasonable in their own behavior despite joining this latest craze. Many confessed that they followed everyone else's move simply for the fun, serving as a momentary diversion to help relieve their pressures from everyday life.

Besides, people's yearning for personal wealth might just create new opportunities for enterprising businesspeople in China. Many businesses have since launched various auspicious products themed on the lucky leopard, such as bubble teas, cakes, and smartphone cases. Some bloggers also offered up suggestions and advice on how to get rich quick.