Recently, in Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, a newly opened hair salon named “Supreme Hair Institute” has sparked controversy by violating official taboos. It was requested by the local market supervision and management bureau to change its name and the signboard was taken down just one day after its opening.
On August 14th, a TikTok account under the name “Supreme Hair Institute” posted a video promoting the opening of the salon. The video showed the salon’s signboard with the name “Supreme Hair Institute” and a small line below saying “Handling the people’s top priority matters.” A celebratory flower basket was placed at the entrance, with a banner hanging on the door announcing “Grand Opening Specials.”
The video attracted attention online, with many netizens commenting, “The naming is really clever.” “It’s creative.” “Whoever came up with this is so talented.” “With that name and slogan, I pass by, and I definitely want to go in for a haircut.” “Must visit, and have the director do the haircut.” Some netizens even joked, “Next door should open ‘Supreme Barber’.”
However, what started as harmless wordplay and puns turned into a concern for the local market supervision department, leading to a demand for immediate rectification on the very first day of the salon’s operation, resulting in the removal of the signboard.
According to the mainland media “Yangcheng Evening News,” on the 15th, staff from the Yanzhen Branch of the Market Supervision and Administration Bureau in Renhuai City, Guizhou Province, stated that after receiving the information, the director of the bureau went to the site early in the morning to inspect and requested the salon to make corrections. The signboard has since been removed.
Many netizens expressed their views, with comments such as, “No sense of humor.” “A shop selling eggs was also required to change its name to ‘Stinky Treasure’.” “I’m planning to open a steamed bun shop, thinking of naming it ‘Most Terrible Institute,’ what do you all think?” “If they change it to ‘Drunk High Style Institute,’ there shouldn’t be a problem.”