It’s a good time to be an astrologer in China
In the face of hardship, the country’s youth are embracing superstition
The Economist
China
Jan 23rd 2025 | 548 words | ★★★☆☆
YOUNG PEOPLE have always come to Ms Xia with questions about their relationships. Now they often ask the astrologer about their finances and job prospects, too. “People feel a sense of powerlessness,” says the 27-year-old from Changsha. She won’t give them definite answers about their future. But for 200 yuan ($27) per session, she will read their star signs and let them know when their luck might turn.
Such guidance is increasingly sought by young Chinese, who face a sluggish economy, a tight job market and intense competition in many aspects of life. “They don’t have hope,” says Chen Jinguo, a professor of philosophy and religion at Minzu University of China. To find some, many are turning to divination, spiritualism and superstition. These act as a “pressure-relief valve”, says Mr Chen.
Most of the action is happening online. An app called Cece—which offers horoscopes, tarot-card reading and fortune-telling—has been downloaded more than 15.5m times from Apple’s app store in China, according to Sensor Tower, a research firm. The number of monthly users has shot up in recent years (see chart). Another fortune-telling app, called Wenzhenbazi, has experienced a similar surge. On Bilibili, China’s version of YouTube, people have taken to using the word
jie
(receive) when responding to upbeat videos. By doing so, they hope to capture the positive energy.
Around 80% of Chinese under 30 have had their fortunes told, reports NetEase, an internet company. Apps are the most common forum, but the trend can also be seen in real life. “Metaphysical bars”, where drinks are served with a side of fortune-telling, are popular in Beijing. Streets devoted to psychics can be found in cities across China. In 2024 sales of 18-bead bracelets, known for luck, jumped 11-fold, year on year, according to data from JD.com, an e-commerce giant.
The Communist Party has long tried to rid itself of what it calls “feudal superstition”. Last year the Central Party School, a training academy for officials, expressed concern about the number of members and cadres “believing in ghosts and gods”. It tried to clarify the party’s restrictions by publishing a Q&A on the matter. Occasionally participating in local folk customs or consulting a fortune-teller on a name for your baby? That’s fine. Spending a lot of time and money, especially public funds, on superstitious activities? Unacceptable.
The masses are also discouraged from embracing such practices. A notice issued by the city of Sanming in 2023 stated: “The public should improve their scientific literacy, enhance their psychological immunity to superstitious activities and not seek spiritual comfort through ‘fortune-telling’ when encountering real setbacks.” Other cities have followed suit. Last year some local governments cracked down on the burning of fake money and other paper offerings to the dead during the annual grave-sweeping festival.
State censors, with the help of internet firms, have tried to curb the spread of superstitious beliefs and divination services online. Search terms such as “astrology” and “fortune-telling” have been blocked on Taobao, an e-commerce market. But on Weibo, a social-media site, popular astrologers have accumulated tens of millions of followers. Some speak of playing a cat-and-mouse game with the authorities. A 24-year-old tarot-card reader in Shanghai jokes that she tries to divine her own fate—to see if jail time is in the offing.
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