Heytea put arhats on a latte cup — regulators pulled it in six days

On 28 November 2023, Heytea launched '佛喜茶拿铁' (Buddha Joy Tea Latte) in collaboration with the Jingdezhen China Ceramic Museum. The cup designs and fridge magnets featured arhat figures from the museum's collection — specifically from Zeng Longsheng's 'Underglaze-Painted Eighteen Arhats' — marketed through the viral '无语佛' (speechless Buddha) meme popular with young Chinese workers.

The drink sold well, but the packaging triggered criticism for commercialising and trivialising religious imagery. On 1 December, the Shenzhen Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau summoned Heytea for a regulatory interview (约谈), citing suspected violations of China's religious-affairs regulations and rules against the commercialisation of Buddhist and Taoist imagery.

Heytea removed the entire '佛喜' product line on 3 December — six days after launch — and submitted a self-inspection report. Multiple '佛喜' trademark applications had already been rejected. The case became a warning to Chinese brands: meme culture does not override religious-affairs law, and a museum partnership does not make sacred imagery commercial-safe.