Young people go out of way to 'grab luck'

Thousands of years ago, along China's southern coastline, fishing communities would pray to Mazu, the folk goddess of the sea, for good luck when taking their boats to the waves.

Fast forward, and today, China's young people are also expressing their desire for luck and good fortune among the myriad pressures and stresses of contemporary life, but with a modern twist.

Last year, young people posted over 5.76 million scrolling comments with the word "jie", which means to accept or catch, on Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform. Their wishes are to "catch" everything from top exam scores, job offers, promotions and good health, to salary raises and romantic relationships.

Offline, swarms of youngsters are going to temples to make their wishes, and temple-made bracelets are so in demand that some are willing to queue for hours just to snag one.

In 2023, Beijing's Lama Temple placed a daily cap on visits at 60,000 people, saying that over 50 percent of visitors were born in the 1990s and 2000s.

In a world of growing uncertainties, young folks are turning to something equally uncertain for solace and spiritual comfort — luck.