On second-hand trading platforms, several sellers are offering bottled water from Peking University’s Weiming Lake, priced between 20 yuan ($2.80) and nearly 100 yuan per 500ml, the Chinanews.com reported.

The products are advertised with claims that the lake water offers magical benefits for plant growth, can regulate indoor humidity when placed in a container, and even promises to boost energy, enhance wisdom, and improve emotional quotient through daily gazing, said the report.

One merchant offers complimentary express delivery to all cities and regions across China. Other listings include Peking University campus soil, Tsinghua University campus river water, and even Tsinghua campus air, the report said.

Universities officials condemned the marketing stunt, emphasizing that campus water bodies are valuable ecological resources and should not be commercialized for illegal profit, China Central Television (CCTV) News reported. 

Such actions violate campus regulations, officials said, adding that both universities have urged social media platforms to remove the listings. Legal experts dismissed the brain-boosting claims as deceptive hype, noting that sellers may be engaging in false advertising. 



Global Times