ETYMOLOGY
The evolution of White Lotus mirrors China's internet culture dynamics. The term gained traction in 2013 when screenwriter Ning Caishen used it to critique overly idealized TV characters during a behind-the-scenes interview of My Own Swordsman, which went viral on Weibo.
The semantic shift accelerated on JJWXC novel platform in 2015, where multiple bestsellers featured White Lotus antagonists - villains disguising as saints. A seminal Baidu Tieba post that year established the "White Lotus Identification System":
1. Tear warfare: Crying as first response2. Moral high ground: "I just don't want to hurt anyone"3. Passive aggression: "It's all my fault, please stop fighting"The term reached peak irony during 2018's League of Legends World Championship, when a caster's remark "This White Lotus finally got crushed" became esports' meme of the year. Douyin reports over 5 billion views on related hashtags by 2020.
Modern usage examples:• Workplace: "New intern pulled another White Lotus move skipping overtime"• Fandom wars: "Don't fall for her apology video, classic White Lotus PR"• Self-deprecation: "This White Lotus will save you diet sinners from midnight snacks!"