Digital Diaspora in China: Internet Citizenship and the Emergence of Runology

The paper regards the heated discussion of Runology as a phenomenon of digital diaspora in China and the citizens’ re-identification of nationalism. The emergence of Runology during the pandemic indicates that even when people are bounded by physical and territorial
constraints, their minds and hearts travel to the places they recognize and belong through virtual interconnections. As suggested by Ponzanesi, the notion of diaspora has transgressed to the formation of digital diaspora as cyberspace virtually recreates all physical sites and territories that have been previously eroded by living in the diaspora (Ponzanesi 2020). Following Ponzanesi’s framework on digital diaspora, the paper delineates digital diaspora in China in threefold: first, borders and territories in defining national identities; second, the reconsideration of spatiality and temporality; and third, the reinterpretation of nations as digital networks. The paper analyses specific Internet anecdotes to exemplify a range of narratives that represent Runology and Internet citizenships: the Internet meme of Chinese writer Eileen Zhang being named as the mother of Runology for her eventful diasporic life; the Facebook post of Chinese scientist Jia Yangqing sharing his experience of fleeing to Los Angeles from Shanghai overnight to steer away from the massive lockdowns; a viral, sensational Wechat story about an anonymous netizen walking to the Shanghai Pudong Airport on foot for 9 hours in order to fly to Hong Kong after his quarantine; and lastly, the
recent social media spectacle of American netizens migrating to the Chinese platform, Rednote as "Tik Tok refugees" after the temporary closure of American Tik Tok.