‘Thin-skinned.’ Reddit users call out Chinese student at NTU for objecting to the use of ‘Lunar New Year’ instead of ‘Chinese New Year’

SINGAPORE: After a student from China at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) alleged that the use of the term “Lunar New Year” instead of “Chinese New Year” smacked of discrimination, local Reddit users had a lot to say. On the allegation made by the Chinese student at NTU Reddit users disagreed. Some called the student “insecure” and “thin-skinned”.

On Thursday (Jan 19), Reddit user MrJasonMason posted a screenshot from a social media post, captioning it “Chinese student at NTU fumes over the use of ‘Lunar New Year’ instead of ‘Chinese New Year’, alleges censorship and discrimination on campus.”

The photo shows the title of an article “How the Lunar New Year Is Celebrated Around Asia” with the word “Lunar” struck out and the word “Chinese” written instead.

Netizens appeared to find the correction unnecessary. Contrary to the allegations of the Chinese student at NTU Reddit users found nothing wrong in saying “Lunar New Year” instead of “Chinese New Year”.

“We’ve always been using Lunar New Year for CNY,” wrote one Redditor, adding, “Typical insecure behaviour from a PRC citizen. Scared the whole world doesn’t know LNY is primarily associated with the Han Chinese race.”

“Korea also” celebrates the Lunar New Year, one pointed out.

“Interestingly, islam also uses the lunar calendar (dates do line up with the Chinese too!) but the Islamic lunar new year is a few months later!,” chimed in another.

A Reddit user wrote, “the korean, Vietnamese and some others celebrate on that day as well. it is not exclusively Chinese. that being said, most of the population here are Chinese and so far the local and malaysian Chinese don’t seem to have a problem with the naming convention. it is only the ultra nationalist CCP supporting Ah Tiongs that has a problem.”

“Thin skin PRC,” wrote another netizen.

One netizen observed, “Any kind of criticism, especially coming from abroad, results in a very defensive reaction, usually attacking the messenger not the message.”

A Reddit user commented on the original post “to say that we are in SG, not China.”

The post owner added in a comment that a similar incident occurred in New York City.

额，一个Lunar New Year至于吗… pic.twitter.com/HRKNijoHKM

— 李老师不是你老师 (@whyyoutouzhele) January 18, 2023

/TISG

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