Tarot with your merlot? Why China’s consumers are spending ‘spiritually’


In China’s biggest cities, many of the trendiest nightlife spots aren’t known for their craft cocktails or stunning views, but for an unusual feature: fortune-telling.
Sip of Oracle, a self-styled “spiritual bar” in central Shanghai, encapsulates this trend with its whimsical slogan, “Explore the unknown in a tipsy haze.”
Kate Li, a Shanghai bank employee reeling from a recent pay cut, stumbled upon the establishment with friends one weekend.
“We were venting about work and curious about our career paths. A quick search led us to this bar, and the fortune-teller’s insights were surprisingly spot on.”
Businesses like these are part of what has been termed China’s booming “spiritual economy”, an informal category describing a variety of occult or metaphysical activities that are in vogue for the country’s consumers.
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