In atheist China, the spiritual market is going online

Since its inception in 1921, the Chinese Communist Party has officially promoted an atheist and materialist ideology. But belief systems in China are making a comeback – and this comeback is largely happening online.

From traditional Taoist rituals conducted via video call to Western-influenced practices like online tarot reading, the digital spiritual market is growing and new online cultures are emerging.

China has a diverse spiritual landscape with five officially recognised religions including Taoism, Buddhism and Islam, as well as various folk belief systems.

Spiritual practices have evolved with political, social and cultural changes throughout China’s history. The origins of Chinese spirituality can be found in a variety of sources like ancestor worship, Heavenly worship, and traditional philosophies, shaped by the nation’s multi-ethnic nature and cultural integration.

Diversity and evolution

Identifying this increasing spiritual trend through official government data is challenging.

Many Chinese people practice spirituality without officially identifying with a religion or belief system. This is because most Chinese have learned practical ways of religion, without necessarily being taught these as part of a specific set of beliefs.

One common practice is burning incense money, believed to provide financial assistance to spirits in the afterlife.

The growing popularity of online fortune-telling applications such as Cece, and spiritual influencers on social media, such as the astrologist Uncle Tongtao with millions of followers, provide a glimpse into the diverse and vibrant spiritual landscape in modern China.

Online spiritual...

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