Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Amid fireworks and celebration, young people in China are changing how they celebrate the Spring Festival by creating a “Cyber Lunar New Year”.
Young people are changing traditions in their own digital way. They are lighting digital incense on their phones, sending online New Year’s gifts and finding comfort with artificial intelligence (AI) companions.
Some apps have joined this trend, like digital wooden fish toys that offer automatic and manual tapping modes. They help users feel less stressed and relax their minds.
Some temple websites offer online services for people to worship from home. They say this is a good, eco-friendly choice because it saves worshippers the trouble of travelling to a real temple.
Many people are avoiding their hometowns and using AI friends and online activities to help with their sadness during the holidays.
Older people shop in local markets and supermarkets for traditional New Year items like fruit, nuts and sweets. In contrast, younger people are filling their shopping carts with digital New Year items.
