Zhao Liying spent 700,000 yuan on Lunar New Year gifts and was called stingy, while a male star went all out and gave 1 billion yuan.

In the early days of the Lunar New Year 2026 (Year of the Horse), stories about the New Year's lucky money gifts given by Chinese celebrities are attracting strong attention from the online community, with two completely opposite extremes.

During a New Year's Eve livestream on the social media platform Weibo, actor Chen Zhe Yuan unexpectedly gave away five red envelopes (lucky money) totaling 260,000 RMB, equivalent to nearly one billion Vietnamese Dong, to his fans. This event attracted significant attention because not only those watching the live stream received red envelopes, but all Weibo users had the opportunity to participate by entering the code "Lucky Year Code" in the interaction box. The number of red envelopes was unlimited and distributed randomly, making the activity attractive and widely discussed on social media.

This amount is considered one of the largest Lunar New Year红包 (red envelopes) given by Chinese celebrities this year. On social media, many jokingly call Chen Zhe Yuan the "God of Wealth of the entertainment industry" for his generosity towards fans. This is also the third consecutive year he has given red envelopes to his fans; previously, in the 2024 Lunar New Year, he distributed nearly 140,000 RMB (approximately 500 million VND), and in 2025, 190,000 RMB (approximately 656 million VND). Thus, the 260,000 RMB for this year continues to be the highest amount in his series of activities in this regard to date.

Giving out red envelopes online is a tradition chosen by many Chinese artists during the Lunar New Year, both to send good luck wishes to fans and to create a lively atmosphere on New Year's Eve. This is not the only activity during this time; many other artists also participate in giving out red envelopes throughout the night of the 30th and the 1st day of the Lunar New Year. Accordingly, about 150 artists appeared in online programs lasting from noon until dawn during the most important moment of the new year.

Not only Chen Zhe Yuan, but other stars also participated in giving out red envelopes at the beginning of the year. For example, actress Ju Jing Yi distributed four red envelopes, each worth 49,999.9 RMB (a total of over 190,000 RMB, equivalent to over 750 million VND), thus creating one of the most prominent red envelope giving activities this Lunar New Year. In addition, actor Cheng Lei also spent 80,000 RMB (approximately 300 million VND) on red envelopes and even bought milk tea and food to treat his fans during the Lunar New Year.

However, alongside such generous gestures, some past red envelope events have become subjects of debate when the amount given was considered "small," even for celebrities. A widely shared story from a few years ago involved actress Zhao Liying, who distributed red envelopes to extras on her film set. Although the amount inside wasn't clearly stated on online platforms, recipients found the amount smaller than expected, leading some netizens to comment that she was "stingy" or "unfashionable." This story subsequently sparked much debate on Chinese social media about the perception of red envelopes and fans' expectations of celebrities.

These varied reactions show that the custom of giving New Year's lucky money to celebrities can convey many different messages in public opinion: from gratitude and sharing joy to debates about how the money is used and personal image – topics that are always widely discussed on social media every Tet holiday.

Zhao Liying is being ridiculed, increasingly losing ground to B-list stars, and is she using her child to cling to fame? JLO15:26:42 18/01/2026An article from mainland Chinese media claimed that Zhao Liying no longer holds the same dominance as before, and at times is even less popular than some rising B-list actresses. This sparked a major wave of discussion.