What is “Versailles Literature”?: Humblebrags on Chinese social networking sites

Versailles Literature has gone viral on Chinese social networking sites. It is a popular online phenomenon in which netizens present their accomplishments or their privileged lifestyle. However, the term is difficult to understand for people who are not familiar with this linguistic practice. This study investigates the pragmatic strategies of Versailles Literature on Chinese social networking sites, in a quantitative and qualitative analysis of 200 authentic blogs collected from Weibo. It was found that Chinese Versailles Literature often includes strategies such as comparison, complaint, narration, praise from a third party, and showing humility. When bragging occurs, it has to be used together with mitigating strategies. Based on the findings, we argue that the Chinese Versailles Literature is in essence a type of humblebrag. The study also discusses why the phenomenon has gained so much popularity, and the possible reasons for Chinese netizens to deploy such social practices and use the hashtag #VersaillesLiterature.