顯化：一種當代中國大陸網路上的新時代現象觀察

Abstract

「顯化」源自於西方「新時代運動」(new age movement)所說的 manifestation，強調個體單純通過意識的改變,可以實現對物質世界的改 造。近年來，這一概念在中國大陸網路平台迅速流行，成為一種新興的靈 性實踐。 本文採用虛擬民族誌的方法,嘗試通過參與觀察、訪談和文獻分析，勾 勒出這一新興靈性文化現象的基本輪廓:首先梳理「顯化」概念在中英文 語境中的演變歷程，揭示其內涵的動態流變及其與時代語境的深度勾連。 接下來,本文通過對顯化信仰核心觀念和日常操作技術的描繪，展現這一信 仰的世界觀基礎、身心實踐邏輯和一些特性:內部異質性與平等性、作為 生成式文化「熔爐」的開放性、對科學話語的挪用與改造等。接著，本研 究聚焦於顯化實踐者，探討他們如何在虛擬與現實的交織中，賦予顯化以 獨特的文化意義。一方面,顯化實踐者將現實生活比喻為一場「遊戲」，並 將自我認知為「高我」和「小我」等多重角色,在虛擬與現實的切換中尋求 生活的最佳體驗。另一方面,顯化的修辭體系具有的特性能夠滿足當下一些 人的自我治理需求，而且還有利於其在當代中國大陸的政治意識型態環境 中建構合法性。 通過對顯化信仰的多層面考察，本文揭示了這一新興靈性文化現象如 何反映了當代個體在虛擬與現實交織的社會處境中的真實困境。顯化信仰 不僅是一種信仰實踐,更是一種對現實的特殊解讀方式，折射出個體在新自 由主義語境下的焦慮與無助。因此,理解顯化的意義，不僅在於描繪一種新 的文化現象，更在於由此窺探普通個體在當下社會圖景中的真實處境。

"Xianhua" originates from the Western "New Age Movement," particularly the concept of manifestation, which emphasizes that individuals can transform the material world simply through changes in consciousness. In recent years, this concept has rapidly gained popularity on internet platforms in mainland China, becoming an emerging spiritual practice. This paper adopts a virtual ethnography approach, attempting to outline the basic contours of this emerging spiritual cultural phenomenon through participant observation, interviews, and literature analysis. Firstly, it traces the evolution of the concept of "Xianhua" in both Chinese and English contexts, revealing its dynamic shifts in meaning and its deep connection with the temporal context. Subsequently, the paper depicts the core beliefs and daily practices associated with Xianhua, showcasing its worldview foundation, the logic of mind-body practices, and certain characteristics: internal heterogeneity and equality, openness as a generative cultural "melting pot," and the appropriation and transformation of scientific discourse. The study then focuses on Xianhua practitioners, exploring how they endow Xianhua with unique cultural significance through the interplay of the virtual and the real. On one hand, Xianhua practitioners metaphorically compare real life to a "game" and perceive themselves as multiple roles such as the "Higher Self" and the "Lower Self," seeking the optimal life experience through the switch between virtual and real worlds. On the other hand, the rhetorical system of Xianhua meets the self-governance needs of some individuals and facilitates the construction of legitimacy within the ideological environment of contemporary mainland China. By examining various aspects of Xianhua belief, this paper reveals how this emerging spiritual cultural phenomenon reflects the real dilemmas faced by contemporary individuals in the intertwining social contexts of the virtual and the real. Xianhua belief is not only a spiritual practice but also a unique way of interpreting reality, reflecting the anxiety and helplessness of individuals in a neoliberal context. Therefore, understanding the significance of Xianhua lies not only in depicting a new cultural phenomenon but also in gaining insights into the real circumstances of ordinary individuals within the current social landscape. Keywords: Xianhua; New Age Movement; Virtual and Real; Self-Governance; State Governance