“John Xina,” also known as Jiang Xina or Zhong Xina, is an internet phenomenon that transforms the beloved WWE wrestler John Cena into a figure reminiscent of Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong. This exploitable image macro meme uses Photoshop to reimagine Cena in iconic Maoist imagery, creating a humorous and often satirical commentary on cultural and political events. While the moniker “John Xina” appeared on Twitter as early as 2016, the meme truly took off in May 2021. This resurgence was sparked by a viral video of John Cena apologizing to China for referring to Taiwan as a country, which ignited online discussions and meme creation.
The nickname “John Xina” first surfaced on Twitter years before it became a widespread meme. Early mentions can be traced back to 2016, with Twitter user @kurususan_agfly posting tweets including “JOHN Xina” in January and May of that year. These initial tweets, though simple, laid the groundwork for the meme’s future development.
DJアジフライ @kurususan_agfly JOHN XINA ! ! ! ! ! ! (Eh) Translate Tweet 11:56 PM · May 23, 2016 · Twitter for Android
The real catalyst for the “John Xina” meme explosion was a video that emerged in May 2021, titled “John Cena’s Apology To China.” This video, initially shared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo by Cena’s official account, RealWWEJohnCena, showed the wrestler expressing remorse for comments he made about Taiwan. The apology video quickly spread to Twitter, gaining significant traction and becoming a subject of intense online discussion and, inevitably, meme culture.
On May 25th, 2021, Twitter user @Richard_Harambe quote-tweeted the apology video, explicitly referring to John Cena as “John Xina.” This tweet, featuring a Photoshopped image of Cena leading a communist revolution, is considered a pivotal moment in the meme’s history. It garnered hundreds of likes and inspired a wave of similar content, as other Twitter users jumped on the “John Xina” nickname to satirize Cena’s apology. The hashtag #JohnXina also began trending on Twitter, solidifying the meme’s presence in online discourse.
Dr. Ricardo Harambe @Richard_Harambe John Xina Translate Tweet 联 Gunnery Sergeant Jessie Jane Duff @JessieJaneDuff · May 25 So it appears @JohnCena is kissing-up to Communist leaders and declares Taiwan isn
The visual aspect of the “John Xina” meme began to take shape around the same time. On May 25th, 2021, the conservative meme account @grandoldmemes shared a photoshopped image on Instagram, depicting John Cena as Xi Jinping, the current President of China. This image, which received thousands of likes, further cemented the visual association of John Cena with Chinese political figures within the meme. It was subsequently reposted on Reddit, expanding its reach to different online communities.
•.. grandoldmemes • Following YUGE grandoldmemes aas #JohnXina
Adding another layer to the meme’s development, the graphic-tee company American As Fack launched a t-shirt featuring John Cena Photoshopped as Chairman Mao Zedong on May 26th, 2021. This t-shirt, highlighting the “John Xina” moniker, was covered in an article by American Military News, further amplifying the meme’s visibility. Screenshots of this article themselves became part of the meme, circulating on platforms like iFunny.
AMEB AF JÓHN KINA
The “John Xina” meme quickly spread across various online platforms. Oversaturated and blown-out versions of the American As Fack t-shirt image became common on Reddit. On May 30th, 2021, an oversaturated iteration appeared on the subreddit r/CommunismMemes, gaining significant traction. The same image also surfaced on r/blursedimages, indicating the meme’s appeal across different internet communities.
Video memes incorporating the “John Xina” imagery also emerged. On May 27th, 2021, Reddit user Daftpunkerzz1988 posted the first known video meme featuring “John Xina” on r/ADVChina. Later, in October 2021, “John Xina” memes began to intersect with memes about China’s Social Credit System. These videos often utilized the “John Cena Speaking Chinese and Eating Ice Cream” meme (“Bing Chilling”), creating a blend of internet humor and socio-political commentary. For example, on October 3rd, 2021, a Reddit user uploaded a video to r/shitposting that combined these elements.
The “John Xina” meme, since its widespread emergence in late May 2021, has become a staple across Reddit and Twitter. Common catchphrases associated with the meme include parodies like “You Can’t Xi Me,” playing on John Cena’s famous slogan “You Can’t See Me,” and further solidifying its place in internet meme culture as a humorous and often satirical way to engage with political and cultural topics.
Here are some examples of the “John Xina” meme in action:
Please stand up for Shut the f— up the national anthem. old man! 你喜歡大鐘約翰嗎~ 我喜歡大免子
JOHN CENA BEFORE APOLOGIZING AFTER APOLOGIZING TO CHINA JOHN CENA TO CHINA
YOU CANT XI ME
Me after After one BTS meal
China deploying John Cena after they encounter Taiwanese resistance
To: Cave Goblin This man was probably one of the most evil psychopaths ever Who the f— apparently he would force victims into a WWE type wrestling ring after starving them out for weeks and then literally make them fight to death or kill them if they tried to escape Whaaaaaat f—— hell
Search Interest
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External References
[1] Twitter – @kurususan_agfly
[2] Twitter – @kurususan_agfly
[3] Twitter – @JoeXu
[4] Weibo – RealWWEJohnCena
[5] Twitter – @Richard_Harambe
[6] Twitter – @ElectionLegal
[7] Twitter – @TPCarney
[8] Twitter – #JohnXina
[9] Twitter – @grandoldmemes
[10] Instagram – @grandoldmemes
[11] Reddit – r/walkaway
[12] American As Fack – American As Fack
[13] American Military News – Vet-owned ‘American AF’ puts China-apologist John Cena as Mao Zedong, calls him ‘John Xina’ on new t-shirt
[14] iFunny – @Syndicate_v1
[15] Reddit – r/CommunismMemes
[16] Reddit – r/blursedimages
[17] Reddit – r/ADVChina
[18] Reddit – r/shitposting
[19] Reddit – r/gayspiderbrothel
