The Internalization of Tradition: The Invention of “Koi” as a National Tradition as Mediated by Online Vernacular Expression and Discourse

Koi culture is a Japanese national tradition, created in that country over a century ago, and this tradition has since been exported to, and localized in, many countries around the world. China is one such example, with koi energetically imported into the country for around 20 years and appreciated by many Chinese people. Today, koi have a significant influence on the spiritual landscape of the Chinese people and are now described as, and believed to be, beings with the spiritual power to bring good fortune. This vernacular belief concerning koi was created by an internet meme disseminating the image and narrative of koi as a symbol of good fortune through social media. This vernacular expression and discourse online have led many Chinese people to internalize koi culture as their own national tradition, and to recognize and speak of it as a uniquely Chinese tradition. The internet has accelerated this internalization, and when compared against oral communication and traditional media, the superior range and speed of information transmission allowed by this medium puts it in a category of its own. The internet also involves an interactive model of generation and transmission of information and narratives, where the public can act not only as simply recipients of various forms of those information and narratives, but also as their creators and distributors. These characteristics of the medium have made it a catalyst behind the collaborative “invention” of national traditions by the public at large, one that has significantly accelerated the internalization of those national traditions. This paper examines the manner in which vernacular beliefs and folk narratives concerning koi generated through online communication have become a driving force behind major transformations in the perception of tradition in the daily lives of the Chinese people.