When struggling to find work amidst China's economic slowdown, Chen Jinyue, 26, from Shanghai, didn't immediately update her resume. Instead, she booked a tarot card reading in Hong Kong, downloaded a popular astrology app, and bought a wooden fish drum, believing it would bring good fortune.

Similarly, Kate Li, a Shanghai bank employee disheartened by a recent pay cut, visited the "spiritual bar" Sip of Oracle in central Shanghai with friends. The bar's slogan is "Explore the unknown in a hazy intoxication."

"We were complaining about work and worried about our career paths. We searched online and decided to come here. The fortune teller's predictions were surprisingly accurate," Li said.

A person having a tarot reading at a bar in China. Photo: SCMP

Such business models are part of China's booming "spiritual economy." In January, Chinese social media buzzed about an AI Bazi (eight characters) fortune-telling tool presented as a stock chart. Users simply entered birth dates and personal events to receive a detailed map predicting their life's destiny.

This fascination with the mystical reflects a broader desire for comfort amid economic uncertainty, noted professor Liu Xuexin, head of the consumer data research institute at Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing.

As China grapples with declining domestic demand and escalating geopolitical tensions, job market competition has intensified. Pay cuts and layoffs have become more common in recent years.

"During tough economic times, when incomes and job prospects are uncertain, people feel anxious about the future. They turn to supernatural elements, temples, or feng shui for support," Liu analyzed. He suggests this trend is part of a larger shift in consumer preferences: from satisfying material needs to emotional ones.

Spending on spiritual items is now a "necessary expense" for many young Chinese, the Houlang Research Institute indicated in a report in July 2025. Besides spiritual consultation fees, consumers are also flocking to buy related products like prayer bead bracelets and energy stones, driving market growth.

In 2024, transactions for bead bracelets on leading online shopping platform Taobao surged by 566%, far surpassing traditional jewelry in popularity, according to China News Service.

The Houlang report showed that 60% of consumers spend under 500 yuan (USD 70) annually on "spiritual" expenses, while 20% spend over 1,000 yuan.

Ly Truc Pham in a Russian reality show in 2019. Photo: Sina

This trend is further reinforced by celebrities. A content creator surnamed Ma in Shanghai said that after every breakup, she consults tarot cards to ask when and where her next relationship will begin, which helps her overcome the pain faster.

In 2024, the case of Ly Truc Pham, who claimed to be a psychic, caused a stir in China when she was arrested for fraud. Ly gained social media fame after appearing on the Russian reality show "Battle of the Psychics" in 2019. On the show, Ly used a candle to locate a person in a car trunk and claimed to sense deceased individuals in another car. Her account attracted over 600,000 followers.

After returning to China, Ly began selling prayer candles online. These were adorned with gemstones, dried flowers, and infused with essential oils, advertised as possessing powers to boost careers, improve financial luck, or bring ex-lovers back.

Candles started at 2,888 yuan (USD 420), and the "three fortunes" version cost up to 7,888 yuan. A customer in Liaoning province in February 2024 paid 5,888 yuan for Ly's candles, hoping for more customers at their shop. However, business remained unchanged, leading the person to feel defrauded and report it to the police. Ly was arrested on 1/4/2024 for fraud. Prosecutors stated that Ly had amassed over 50 million yuan (USD 7 million) through selling candles and fortune-telling classes.

However, even after Ly's arrest, posts and shopping links for prayer candles continued to circulate across Chinese social media. "After I lit a love candle, my ex-boyfriend actually came back clinging to me. I couldn't get rid of him," one user stated.

This market even features unusual services like selling "bank earth," soil dug from outside major banks to attract financial luck, priced up to USD 130 per portion.

Temples are also capitalizing on this wave. Jiming Temple in Nanjing launched "blessed milk tea," while Yongfu Temple in Hangzhou introduced "auspicious coffee."

Zhang Yong, a social worker specializing in adolescent mental health, warns that these spiritual products can blur the line between entertainment and reality, leading people to believe in extreme fate. Some have stopped actively making major decisions like employment or investments, instead letting algorithms or fortune tellers decide.

"If these things really worked, how many candles would people have to burn to satisfy all their desires?" one netizen questioned.

Another commented: "Many people think they are buying emotional comfort, but they are actually paying an 'intelligence tax'."

However, for Li, her visit to the Sip of Oracle bar brought both comfort and relaxation. "Many people are as stressed as I am, about careers, relationships, and the future. These places really help relieve pressure," she said.

Hong Hanh (According to SCMP/163 News)