Controversy over students and graduate students bringing Labubu to receive their degrees

This female student dressed her Labubu plushie in a graduation gown and had it appear on stage with her to receive her diploma. After the vice-principal performed the ritual of spinning the tassels on her graduation cap, the student asked him to do the same for her Labubu.

Although it was unexpected, the school leader performed the ceremony in a cheerful and humorous way, causing the female student's Labubu plushie to be nicknamed "China's Highest Academically Graduated Labubu" by the Chinese online community.

Tranh cãi việc sinh viên, nghiên cứu sinh mang Labubu lên nhận bằng - 1 — Female students at Tsinghua University bring Labubu onto the stage at their graduation ceremony (Photo: SCMP).

This incident recently occurred during a graduation ceremony at Tsinghua University, a top-ranked and prestigious university in China. A video capturing this moment has been widely shared on social media platforms across China.

The female student later shared on her personal social media account that she had ordered a graduation gown specifically for her Labubu plushie so she could bring her favorite toy onto the graduation stage.

After the rotation ritual, the female student asked the vice principal if he could rotate her Labubu as well. "He was a little hesitant at first, but he agreed to rotate my Labubu," the student shared on social media.

After completing the graduation ceremony for both the female student and her favorite toy, the vice principal quietly asked, "Is this Labubu, the trending toy?"

In fact, recently, many Chinese students have been bringing stuffed animals like Labubu or Chiikawa onto the stage to receive their diplomas.

Also at a recent graduation ceremony at Tsinghua University, a graduate student attracted attention for bringing Labubu onto the stage to receive her master's degree. She even requested that the university leaders perform a ritual of spinning the toy's tassels.

On Chinese social media, many people believe that bringing popular toys like Labubu or Chiikawa onto the graduation stage is humorous and cute. However, others argue that this behavior is inappropriate and detracts from the solemnity of the graduation ceremony.

Responding to the criticism, the female student from Tsinghua University – who brought Labubu onto the stage to receive her bachelor's degree – said: “I studied very hard. This toy has been with me, helping me overcome difficult times in my studies and life. There is nothing to ridicule about Labubu accompanying me to receive my diploma.”