The Top 5 Viral Phrases Initiated By Chinese Women in 2015

With the rapid pace of information sharing in the age of the internet, a simple phrase encapsulating the atmosphere of a moment can explode virally and inspire the imagination of the nation. By investigating the five most popular catchphrases started by women in 2015, we can begin to understand the thoughts and ambitions of Chinese youth.

The world is so big, I want to see more of it! [blog.sina]

世界那么大，我想去看看
The world is so big, I want to see more of it. 

When Gu Xiaoqiang left her position as a middle school psychology teacher in central China's Henan Province, she moved the nation with her 10 word resignation letter. The website iFeng.com reports that she lead a final course on "The Tree of Aspiration," urging her students to "not live for other people" and remain true to themselves before embarking on a mission to fulfill her own dreams. The honest simplicity of the wording of the resignation letter, which was shared online, quickly went viral with thousands of youth showing admiration for the woman's courage.

Gu has since received many offers from travel companies to help her pursue her goals, but in an interview with Half Island Online, she claimed that she rejected all of them, stating "right now I'm like an ordinary Cinderella. I've gotten Aladdin's lamp and if I rub it gently I can have a lot of dreams come true, but I know who I am—I'm just an ordinary person, this is something anyone could do. There are some good things that I can't accept; I have to maintain my honesty and refuse easy seductions."

She reports traveling during every holiday as a child, but said that often her family wouldn't go together, but would go off independently to explore different surroundings. She feels that this familial environment helped her cultivate "the heart of a traveler," filled with freedom and love. Today, she has taken up residence in Sichuan Province where she can enjoy the beautiful rivers of Jiuzhaigou and delight in spicy local cuisine.