Young adults in China are shifting their focus from luxury brands to spiritual luxury, seeking items that provide emotional value and a sense of connection to something greater. This trend is driven by the country’s Gen Z and millennial shoppers, who are looking for unique and meaningful experiences.

Spiritual Consumption on the Rise

The economy of ‘xuanxue,’ or spiritual mysticism, has boomed in recent years, with a range of price points. On popular Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, the hashtag #xuanxue has been viewed over 5 billion times to date. Consumers are spending more on ‘lucky’ accessories, crystals, and Zen-inspired fashion and fragrances, as well as ostensibly spiritual experiences like weekends at Buddhist sites and restorative wellness retreats.

Local luxury labels have been somewhat subtler, eschewing obvious iconography while integrating Chinese philosophies into their branding. For example, the viral handbag brand Songmont asks famous directors or actors to discuss topics like self-acceptance and creativity in contemplative two-hour episodes.

A New Form of Self-Definition

According to Linda Yu, a general manager at marketing agency Red Ant Asia, young people are no longer just paying for a product, but ‘paying for a form of self-definition and an emotional container.’ This shift in consumer behavior is driven by the desire for emotional release and a sense of connection to something greater.

China is officially an atheist state, but the definition of religion was widened to include questions on ‘spirituality, customs, and superstitions,’ the role of religion in people’s lives grew significantly. Praying at temples for wealth and good fortune is a common practice, even for those who aren’t especially religious. Ascribing talismanic properties to jewelry is a tradition dating back thousands of years.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.