The 'Illegal Flower Tribute' (非法献花) meme originated in January 2010 following Google's announcement that it might exit the Chinese market due to censorship and cyberattacks. Supporters gathered at Google's Beijing headquarters in Tsinghua Science Park to lay flowers as a gesture of gratitude and mourning, only to be told by security and local officials that such acts were 'illegal tributes' because they hadn't received prior approval. The phrase quickly became a viral sensation, serving as a satirical critique of bureaucratic overreach and the irony of 'illegal' mourning. Today, the meme is used to commemorate the loss of digital services or to mock restrictive internet policies, standing as a lasting symbol of the tension between global tech and local regulations.