Divination Reimagined: The Impact of Online Platforms on Traditional Beliefs among Chinese Netizens

Abstract: The culture of divination has a large fan base from ancient times to the present day. Whether it's offline fortune-telling or online through the so-called "a few cards to tell your future fortune", people are fascinated by the ability to "foretell the future" brought by divination. With the help of social media, the fame of fortune-telling has skyrocketed. The enthusiasm of Chinese netizens for the current online craze for divination is only increasing, from seeking guidance from online gurus to consulting AIs themselves for divination and interpretation, and as the Internet continues to diversify, traditional forms of divination are transforming into digital formats. This paper will dissect the psychological and practical reasons for this craze by linking numerous sociological and psychological references, comparative arguments and real-world cases. Finally, from the perspective of future social development and cultural inheritance, the importance of balancing the secondary and tertiary dimensions is proposed, pointing out that online divination, as a tool to assist people in decision-making or provide directionality, should help individuals focus on reality and contribute to social progress.