Subcultures: what are they and why are they important?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a subculture is:
“A cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture.”
In China, young people use subcultures as a way to distinguish themselves from others and express their individuality.
Some subcultures have been popular for years and even evolve into mainstream Chinese culture. Just take a look at esports: previously, it was given subculture status but China’s esports market has now become the world’s largest with a revenue estimated to reach $385 million by the end of 2020.
What subcultures are taking hold in Chinese society?
Following on from our article on the most important subcultures in 2019, we have compiled five of the top subcultures in 2020:
- Fandom i.e. obsession with a celebrity
- Traditional hanfu clothing
- Anime, comic and games
- Murder-mystery game Scripts of Murder
- Electronic music
Subcultures are one of the best reflections of key trends and issues that the youth care about in China so check out the article to learn more!
