In recent years, young people have always been the driving force behind economic development. However, with the downward trend of the Chinese economy, the decrease in job opportunities, and stagnant wages, even those who have jobs are facing vicious competition and the dilemma of working long hours (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 6 days a week). This has caused young people to become increasingly lost and anxious.
In this situation, many people have started seeking help from religion or metaphysics. For example, the constellation app “Ce Ce” supported by Tencent has been downloaded over 100 million times.
A Weibo user wrote: “The most obvious sign of the economic downturn is that a few years ago, almost no one believed in metaphysics or fortune-telling, but in the past two years, it is clear that more and more people are believing.”
According to a report by The Guardian of the UK, there is a recent trend of “fortune-telling bars” emerging in major cities in China. One such bar in Beijing called “One As All” is hidden on the 12th floor of a commercial building. The price of a drink is symbolically set at 88 yuan, representing good luck. Customers can also have their fortunes told in the bar, attempting to find guidance for the future. The smell of incense can be sensed from a private room for fortune-telling in the bar.
Ma Xu, a 33-year-old co-founder of the bar, believes that in times of economic downturn, people actually need spiritual comfort more. “Now that the economy is sluggish, people can’t afford expensive things or travel abroad. But they can come for a drink and chat all night.”
Ma Xu further explains, “In the current environment, everyone is under immense pressure, and drinking and what can be called mysticism have something in common – they allow people to vent their emotions.”
Dong Boya, a 29-year-old public relations professional who is a customer at the bar, along with her friends, seeks love and wealth. She said, “We used to go to temples for divination, but this combination of divination and drinking is quite interesting.”
Divination is one of the popular fortune-telling methods among young urban Chinese in recent times. While people have a certain interest in Western divination methods like Tarot cards, they tend to lean more towards traditional Chinese fortune-telling.
Currently, the general populace in China feels a lack of security. A netizen from Hunan, Liu Peng, feels fear in many aspects of daily life—fear of theft when going out, fear of being hit by a car or another person while crossing the street, fear of unemployment at work, fear of encountering toxic food when eating, fear of taking counterfeit drugs or “fake branded” capsules when sick, fear of falling and no one helping, fear of being scammed when helping others.
Furthermore, there are “big” concerns from the social system—plummeting housing prices, facing unemployment at 35, children suffering from depression at school, delayed retirement, doctors demanding bribe money one can’t afford for treatment, officials continuing corrupt practices despite changes in leadership, and the complete destruction of social equity and bottom line.
Various financial scams and frauds keep emerging, banks failing to dispense money, and even cases of young people disappearing and falling victim to organ harvesting… Many people are truly struggling to “make a living,” “eat properly,” “get married,” “find affordable housing,” “get proper medical care,” and “afford to die.”
Analysts point out that a sound civil society is built on the foundation of mutual trust under the rule of law. However, in today’s Chinese society, due to the lack of legal and moral constraints, relationships between people are built on power, where the powerful act as they please, and the weak become scapegoats, resources, or victims of various abuses, with their basic rights completely unprotected.
In this “unreasonable” society, people need to navigate and survive in a jungle of dangers, filled with various uncertainties. It’s no wonder that young people are turning to fortune-telling, divination, praying at temples, and other forms of spiritual solace.
However, religious beliefs and metaphysics are considered politically sensitive areas in China. The Communist Party of China adheres to atheism and has cracked down on religious beliefs several times since taking power. According to official Chinese media reports, nearly 300 people have been “dealt with according to the law” since 2018 for being involved in spiritual activities, with some even sentenced to up to 17 years in prison.
Despite this, many Chinese people still believe in traditional Taoism, Buddhism, and other beliefs, seeking blessings from gods, ancestors, or guidance as part of their daily lives.