university data<\/a>, Chinese students make up USC\u2019s largest international student group with almost 6,000 students as of Fall 2025. For many students, that demographic reality heightened expectations that the university would explicitly acknowledge the holiday\u2019s Chinese origins. <\/p>\nStudents\u2019 criticisms centered on two main concerns. Some argued that using the term \u201cLunar New Year\u201d without explicitly mentioning China erased the holiday\u2019s Chinese origins \u2014 an oversight especially significant given USC\u2019s large Chinese student population. Others said the post\u2019s imagery, which included lion dancers and Korean performers, did not clearly reflect the broader, multicultural meaning implied by the term, making the message feel inconsistent and confusing rather than inclusive.<\/p>\n
In recent years, many universities, companies and public institutions have increasingly used the term \u201cLunar New Year\u201d rather than \u201cChinese New Year.\u201d The shift reflects efforts to acknowledge that the holiday is celebrated in several countries and cultures that follow the lunisolar calendar. While the festival originated in China, communities in places such as Korea, Vietnam and parts of Southeast Asia observe their own versions of the holiday and often prefer terminology that does not frame it solely as a Chinese celebration.<\/p>\n
Screenshots of USC\u2019s post spread on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, where users criticized the university\u2019s message. One user, @chohsi, shared a screenshot of the original post and wrote that it showed \u201cno respect for Chinese students.\u201d <\/p>\n
![\"Some](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/URTXXNKSZFHEHMKQWW5FVJECLU.png\")
Some users on the Chinese social media platform RedNote shared screenshots of the post and criticized the university\u2019s message. (Photo by Jenny Pietrzik) <\/p>\n
In the Instagram comment section on USC\u2019s page, several users described the post as diminishing the role of Chinese culture. One commenter wrote, \u201cIt\u2019s impressive how the word \u2018Chinese\u2019 disappears so easily when Chinese students are the largest group of international students at USC.\u201dAnother said, \u201cThis is not inclusion, it is cultural erasure.\u201d <\/p>\n
The response reflects frustration among some Chinese students who said they did not feel represented in the post. <\/p>\n
Lin Wu, an international student from China and a junior majoring in communications, said the university should have made a stronger effort to showcase a broader range of cultures in the post given the specific phrasing used in the caption.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf USC chooses to use the term \u2018Lunar New Year\u2019 to include various Asian countries, then the representation should reflect that broader cultural scope,\u201d Wu said.<\/p>\n
USC declined to comment on the feedback received on the post, noting that \u201cLunar New Year\u201d is an inclusive term widely used by businesses, corporations and sports teams.<\/p>\n
For Doris Li, a sophomore physics major, the issue was also what she viewed as a lack of recognition.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted my voice to be heard when people opened the comments,\u201d said Li. \u201cYou can call it Lunar New Year, but for us it will always be Chinese New Year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Li added that there was no mention of China in the post, even though many students most closely associate the holiday with Chinese traditions. She added that Chinese New Year is one of the most important times of the year for many Chinese students, and seeing it described without mentioning China made her feel overlooked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like it was stripping away our culture,\u201d Li said.<\/p>\n
Li said she believes the university should have anticipated the negative reaction.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a controversial topic,\u201d she said, \u201cthey should have known that. Posting it this way felt disrespectful.\u201d<\/p>\n