The Political Subculture in Contemporary China: <i>Moha</i> and Its Transformation

Abstract This study explores the Moha political subculture on Chinese social media, closely linked to Jiang Zemin, the former supreme leader of China. Scholars exploring Moha have often failed to provide a thorough analysis, as they often overlook its transformations and the identities of the netizens engaging with it. Through long-term observations and interviews with practitioners, this study offers a comprehensive examination of this political subculture by analyzing its historical trajectory, evolving usage, and the identities of those involved, seeking to uncover its underlying political meanings. It argues that those engaging with Moha are not a monolithic group. In its early stages, Moha was primarily used with negative intent by dissenters who expressed sarcasm toward Jiang's policies. Over time, however, it evolved into a subculture with more positive connotations. This research demonstrates that the reasons for such a transformation are twofold: (1) political nostalgia among public intellectuals who are dissatisfied with the current situation and therefore yearn for previous eras; and (2) a form of online collective effervescence among other individuals, driven by a desire to conform to popular trends. To a large extent, the Party remained acquiescent to Moha due to its non-subversive nature: the practices of public intellectuals were spontaneously contained within a self-disciplined framework, remaining moderate and sufficiently implicit, while those of politically uninformed individuals stayed apolitical and harmless.