ABSTRACT
Built on the expanding e-commerce platforms and social networks, digital payment in China has facilitated the integration of online and offline economies. Apart from its business potential, digital payment also has a major impact on the cultural, social, and political landscape of contemporary Chinese society. Drawing on Jean Burgess’s concept of ‘Vernacular Creativity’ and Michel Foucault’s theorisation on governmentality, this essay explores the socio-political changes brought about by digital payment through the lens of digital red packets and Sesame Credit Scores. By probing the new forms of social interaction and governance engendered by digital payments, this essay looks at how technology intersects with social practices and political ends in shaping the everyday lives in China.
