‘Cyber Divination’ (saibo xuanxue)
This blog post explores the growing popularity of cyber divination (saibo xuanxue) among urban Chinese youth, where AI-powered tools are utilised to enhance traditional spiritual practices, creating personalised, interactive experiences that serve as spaces for self-cultivation, collective storytelling, and therapeutic relief from modern anxieties.
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Liu Chang is a PhD researcher at École Pratique des Hautes Études-PSL University, specializing in Cultural Studies, Anthropology, and the Sociology of Art.
On popular Chinese social media platforms like Xiaohongshu (Rednote) and Bilibili, it is easy to find content related to online divination, with many users sharing their personal stories, concerns, and support in the comment sections. Recently, alongside the rise of artificial intelligence powered by large language models, more individuals have begun turning to chatbots for personalized spiritual guidance. These AI-driven services offer various forms of divination, including but not limited to tarot reading, astrology (both Western and Chinese), Six Yao, and clairvoyance.
Originally, xuanxue refers to a Chinese metaphysical philosophy that integrates Taoist and Confucian thought, dating back to the third century. The literal translation of xuanxue—“mystic learning”—captures its abstract, unworldly essence. Initially, it focused on the interpretation of the “Three Mysteries (Laozi, Zhuangzi, and the I Ching),” and later evolved into a more informal gathering for discourse and debate among intellectual elites.
“As profound the mystery as It can be, It is the Gate to the essence of all life.” [1]
Today, within the context of popular culture, xuanxue has been transformed and digitalized, evolving into a form of divination that blends various folk beliefs and occult practices. Broadly speaking, digital divination serves both personal and collective decision-making. It is sometimes used as an adjective to describe something confusing, bewildering, or seemingly lacking in structure. With the addition of the prefix “cyber,” it has become one of the most exhilarating and emerging phenomena on Chinese social media. Online psychics and DeepSeek interpretations now function as youth’s 24/7 spiritual supermarket.[2]
Lifestyle Divination and Democratization of Spiritual Services
Digital divination is, in fact, not a new phenomenon. Decades ago, with the emergence of computer science and the internet, websites could generate personalized horoscopes, birth charts, and astrological forecasts based on user data. Many of us recall the early 2000s, when numerous web portals offered daily horoscopes and fortune-telling—often redirecting users to more detailed interpretations using available online content. However, while these software programs and websites could provide information based on birthdates, they lacked the ability to offer real-time calculations or interpretations, and interactions in real time was far more viable.
But now, things have changed. In the realm of Chinese social media, two platforms—Xiaohongshu and Bilibili—along with the Chinese company DeepSeek, are leading the trend toward a new era of digital divination. These platforms and tools have elevated the practice, blending traditional divination methods with cutting-edge technology to create more personalized, interactive, and accessible experiences for users. Long before the rise of AI and its seemingly omnipotent capabilities, many practitioners, psychics, or self-proclaimed “healers” were already uploading divination videos. On YouTube, these are often called “Pick a Card,” while on Bilibili, they are referred to as mass divination (dazhong zhanbu). The majority of this content involves tarot readings, though other methods like divination cards, Six Yao, or clairvoyance are also featured.
A typical mass tarot divination session unfolds as follows: the psychic asks the audience to choose a card (or sometimes another indicator) from several options. In the subsequent video, the psychic interprets a pile of cards drawn from a shuffled tarot deck. The topics range from simple “Yes or No” questions to in-depth analyses of life partners’ characteristics, from abstract inquiries like “What is your pet thinking about you?” to concrete decision-making advice for career choices. Although these online psychics are not physically present with their audience, they offer insights into a wide array of topics based on the meaning, position, and combination of the drawn cards.
If the interaction between audiences and diviners can be seen as merely benefiting from the internet, with real communication relying on individual interpretations, then interactions with AI-powered chatbots take this to an entirely new level. These interactions require nothing more than a computer or smartphone. With the right prompts to guide the AI in generating specific responses, anyone can easily uncover the secrets of divination and receive customized spiritual insights. Many tech-savvy young netizens share their prompts on Xiaohongshu, often instructing DeepSeek to use Chinese astrology, such as Ba-Zi (Four Pillars of Destiny), to generate personalized fortune-telling.
Whether consulting an online psychic through mass divination videos or using AI to predict the future, online divination has become more than just a tool for prediction. Among urban youth, it has evolved into a means of self-reflection and even a lifestyle deeply integrated into their daily lives. On social media platforms, users not only engage in the practice of divination but also share their experiences, exchange interpretations, and offer mutual support. What begins as individual fortune-telling transforms into a new form of collective storytelling, where personal insights merge into shared narratives in contemporary China.
Sceptic or believer, few can overlook the profound influence online divination has had on how people engage with the metaphysical realm. This shift creates increased accessibility, fosters online community building, and lowers costs, making these services available to a broader audience than ever before. In the past, spiritual services like tarot readings, astrology consultations, or fortune-telling were largely limited to those who could, first, gather information about trusted psychics, schedule time for a meeting, and finally talk to the specialist in person. While many mass divination videos serve as advertising strategies for further one-on-one consultations—financially rewarding for content creators—many audiences, particularly those without pressing concerns about their lives, pay nothing to listen. Needless to say, this is even more true for AI chatbots. Concerns about the authenticity and ethics are undoubtedly raised, but there is no denying that this democratization of spiritual services is thriving, creating a more inclusive environment for exploration and self-discovery, especially for young women (Zhuang 2023).
Pragmatism over Mysticism, Therapy over Determinism
If the authenticity and integrity of conventional divination rely on the ritual performed by the diviner and the energy exchanged vis-à-vis between the seeker and the guide, then how can we place trust in online divination? After all, a screen separates us from another world—one we can never truly enter through clicking or scrolling, whether what lies on the other side is an experienced psychic or a server room. Do you believe that, with the help of high-resolution videos, secured online payment or trustworthy messages from chatbots, magic could happen through wires and cables?
As mentioned earlier, there has been a significant shift in the younger generation’s perspective toward divination—from viewing it as a tool for prediction to embracing it as an instrument for self-reflection. While many still see these online rituals as a form of divination imbued with supernatural or occult power, what online divination provides often feels more like a customized experience or a coping strategy, considered as a session of therapy instead of a traditional divination. This engagement opens a new perspective for users to interpret the world they live in, particularly as they navigate the challenges and stresses of urban life, whether related to career, love, or personal growth. Many of the mass divination content, though centred on themes like relationships, career decisions, or financial circumstances—though interpreted with a mix of positive and negative outcomes—concludes with content creators offering strong support and comfort to their audience, emphasising that there is always a silver lining after difficulties. Similarly, AI chatbots often remind users that destiny ultimately lies in their own hands.
Accuracy is undoubtedly a priority when choosing different kinds of services. However, we observe that more and more young people also value the quality, or rather, the experience of the service. Techniques of filming, modes of interpretation, and potential supports—these factors all contribute to the seriousness with which individuals approach online divination, often determined by the sense of strength and reassurance they derive from the guidance. This likely explains why many comments below videos share personal stories and offer words of comfort to others. Although belief systems or divination services are neither encouraged nor permitted to be publicly advertised—for example, a search for “tarot card” or related keywords on online shopping platforms yields no results—communities of online divination enthusiasts and practitioners continue to thrive on social media. Whether posting daily oracle readings, sharing intriguing experiences with AI chatbots, or recommending online diviners, these activities contribute to the creation of communities that foster a sense of connection and belonging. This, in turn, transforms divination into a cultural practice that resonates with the values and anxieties of a digitally connected generation.
Can our spiritual demands be commercialized, digitalized, and AI-powered? At the very least, we all strive to take charge of our own psychological well-being—whether through sports, meditation, divination, or any other means, as long as they prove practical.
Reference
Zhuang, Elaine. 2023. “Cyber spirituality: tarot divination clips as therapeutic activity among young Chinese females.” Paper presented at 2023 Association of Social Anthropologists of conference. SOAS University of London, UK, April 2023.
See more:
Jeremy Albelda, “The Rise of Digital Divination: How Online Psychics are Changing the Spiritual Landscape”
Kellee Maize Team, “The Intersection Of Technology And Occult Practices: Navigating The Digital Age”
Matthew Gwynfryn Thomas, “The Age of Digital Divination”
https://www.sapiens.org/culture/digital-divination/
[1] Quote from Tao Te Ching for translation refer to https://www.with.org/tao_te_ching_en.pdf
[2] Although the initiative to use AI-powered tools for divination initially relied on ChatGPT, access to the platform required a VPN. As a result, the majority of users in China have now shifted to DeepSeek. However, due to updated regulations, DeepSeek has recently restricted requests for divination interpretation.