Within 24 hours of its release, the emotional tale racked up 187,000 reposts and 165,000 likes on the micro-blogging platform Weibo, with many commenting that it had brought them to tears.

Xu Lili, 40, a white-collar worker who shared the teaser on the instant-messaging app WeChat, said the simple, earnest love between family members that shines through the video resonated with her.

"It reminded me of my mom in her 70s after she mailed a package of homemade steamed buns to my daughter from our hometown," she said. "Like the Peppa Pig model, gifts made by the elderly are not fancy, but they always go the extra mile to help fulfill our wishes."

Peppa Pig, the little pink pig, originated in a British cartoon series and gained popularity among Chinese children and teenagers through social media apps and online streaming services. But the character has remained largely out-of-reach for the older generation, especially those in rural areas.

Zhang Dapeng, director of both the teaser and the upcoming film, told the Beijing News on Friday that he was inspired by the phenomenon that some seniors find the word "Peppa" baffling if they don't use the internet.