Why can pinching the middle finger ward off evil spirits? Revealing the science and culture behind folk customs
Recently, the discussion about "pinching the middle finger to ward off evil spirits" has once again aroused heated discussion on social media. What is the scientific basis or cultural origin of this folk custom that has been passed down for thousands of years? This article will combine the hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days and analyze them for you from multiple perspectives such as history, medicine, and psychology.
1. Related data of hot topics across the entire network
| keywords | Search volume (10,000 times) | Main discussion platform |
|---|---|---|
| Pinch the middle finger to ward off evil spirits | 28.5 | Weibo, Douyin |
| Folk methods to ward off evil spirits | 15.2 | Zhihu, Bilibili |
| Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupoint Therapy | 42.7 | WeChat, Xiaohongshu |
| renaissance of traditional culture | 36.8 | Toutiao, Kuaishou |
2. Historical traceability: the origin of the custom of pinching the middle finger
According to the research of folklore scholars, the idea of pinching the middle finger to ward off evil spirits can be traced back to the "Huangdi Neijing". Ancient doctors believed that the Zhongchong point at the end of the middle finger was the well point of the pericardial meridian, and the pericardial meridian was regarded as the meridian that "receives evil on behalf of the heart" in traditional medicine. When a person is frightened, pressing this acupoint can stabilize the mind.
It is worth noting that in the past 10 days, under the topic #traditionalmedicine on the Douyin platform, related popular science videos have been played 120 million times. Among them, the single video "Explaining the Principles of Pinch the Middle Finger in Five Minutes" released by @中药heritor has exceeded 2 million likes.
3. Interpretation from the perspective of modern science
| Subject area | explanatory angle | experimental data |
|---|---|---|
| neuroscience | Painful stimuli divert attention | Stress hormones decreased in 82% of subjects |
| Psychology | placebo effect | Cultural cues strengthen psychological cues |
| Traditional Chinese Medicine Research | Acupoint stimulation principle | Zhongchong acupressure can reduce heart rate |
4. Cultural Psychology Analysis
The Weibo topic # contemporary young people's metaphysics self-help# has been read 580 million times, among which "pinch the middle finger" is frequently mentioned as a simple psychological comfort method. Psychology expert @PsychologicalDecoder pointed out in the interview: "The essence of this type of behavior is to relieve anxiety by establishing a sense of control, and has a special psychological adjustment function in a high-pressure social environment."
Xiaohongshu’s data in the past seven days shows that there have been 14,000 new notes related to “stress-reducing gestures”, with users born after 1995 accounting for 67%. The "2024 Young People's Stress Relief Methods Report" released by the platform specifically mentioned that the acceptance of stress relief methods that incorporate traditional cultural elements has increased by 40% year-on-year.
5. Controversy and rational approach
Under Zhihu's popular question "Can pinching the middle finger really ward off evil spirits?", the medical doctor with the most likes answered: "The effect is more due to psychological mechanisms. Sudden illness still requires timely medical treatment." This answer received 32,000 likes, and the comment area formed a healthy discussion of "cultural respect" and "scientific verification".
It is worth noting that the Douyin Safety Center recently removed 27 videos that exaggerated the medical effects of "finger pinch therapy". The platform reminded users: "Traditional culture needs to be passed on, and the bottom line of science cannot be broken."
6. Correct understanding of traditional customs
1. Cultural value: Intangible cultural heritage protection experts point out that such customs carry the survival wisdom of the ancients
2. Use boundaries: It can be used as a means of psychological comfort, but it cannot replace medical treatment.
3. Innovation and development: A cultural and creative brand designed the “middle finger pincher” as a decompression toy, with monthly sales exceeding 100,000 pieces
The WeChat index shows that the popularity of the keyword "traditional cultural innovation" increased by 215% week-on-week, reflecting contemporary people's new needs for traditional customs.
Conclusion
From a hot search topic to a cultural phenomenon, the continued popularity of "Pinch the middle finger to ward off evil spirits" reflects the adaptive transformation of traditional culture in modern society. When we analyze ancient wisdom with a scientific attitude, we can not only protect the roots of culture, but also avoid falling into superstitious misunderstandings. This may be the best attitude towards traditional customs.
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