Symbolic Capital and Youth Identity: A Study of the Ne Zha Phenomenon in Contemporary China

Abstract

Guided by Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic capital and field, this study examines the reception of the animated franchise Ne Zha (2019) and Ne Zha 2 (2024) among contemporary Chinese youth. Using a netnographic approach and systematic coding of 2,159 online comments, the research analyzes how mythological narratives are reinterpreted as symbolic resources within digital cultural fields. The findings indicate that the films function as a cultural mirror through which young audiences reflect on structural pressures associated with education, employment, and social mobility. By connecting mythological struggles with contemporary discourses such as involution and the phenomenon of the “small-town exam striver”, audiences reinterpret the character of Ne Zha as a symbolic figure that articulates generational anxieties. The analysis further demonstrates that the circulation of symbolic capital varies across digital platforms. On Bilibili, interactive practices such as danmu (bullet comments) encourage subcultural interaction and collective interpretation, whereas Weibo operates as a broader public arena characterized by visibility-driven debates and ideological positioning.

Overall, the study shows that youth engagement with the Ne Zha franchise follows a process in which affective resonance gradually develops into symbolic claiming. Through this process, popular cultural texts become shared discursive resources that enable young audiences to negotiate generational identities and interpret their social experiences within contemporary Chinese society.