Memes are becoming an increasingly popular form of cultural communication in China. As the country moves away from an accepting, collectivist culture and towards a more critical and individualistic one, memes are helping to disseminate new modes of thought.

Amid the barrage of autoplay video clips on social media, a bunch of people standing completely still seems an unlikely source of entertainment. Unless, that is, those people have filmed themselves in an epic freeze-frame as part of the Mannequin Challenge.

Wholesome Memes don't aim to deride, discourage or disrespect, instead they’re about celebrating love, friendships and life itself. Memes used to be pithy or cynical reactions to cultural events, but now subreddits like /r/wholesomememes are using the format to spread a little positivity.

In honour of a distinctly antisocial Finnish comic book character, people in China are identifying as jingfen, meaning 'spiritually Finnish'. Among young people who feel alienated by their own national identity tropes, there’s a sense of solace and community in nations that prize solitude.