“Sugarcane-Stealing” Experience Goes Viral in China

In China, the game of “stealing vegetables,” or 偷菜 (tōucài), traces back 1,400 years to a tradition rooted in communal joy and the exchange of blessings. In the late 2000s, vegetable-stealing online games became a nationwide craze, offering a fun way for friends to interact in the digital world. Today, this playful custom has returned to real life.

A farmer in Meishan, Sichuan, perfectly captured this spirit by offering an immersive “sugarcane-stealing” experience, complete with NPCs patrolling the fields and chasing participants. Evoking the thrill of rural childhood adventures, this unique activity quickly went viral, attracting hundreds of visitors every night.