“I Can Only Say It Here Anonymously” : Emotion Expression in a Mourning Space

This thesis investigates the function of anonymity in digital mourning practices within the context of Chinese social media. While digital platforms have increased the visibility of death, cultural taboos and social norms frequently marginalize “disenfranchised” grief, restricting its public expression. Focusing on the Weibo “tree hole” account “Rotten, Can You Hear Me?”—a space operating through “mediated anonymity”—this thesis employs a mixed-methods approach to analyze a corpus of 8,995 anonymous submissions and their associated user comments. Methodologically, the thesis integrates quantitative distant reading via BERTopic modeling to map thematic landscapes with qualitative close reading guided by the Online Disinhibition Effect and Platform Affordances theories. The results identify two macro-themes: Relational Loss and Disenfranchised Grief. Furthermore, the analysis reveals three specific discursive patterns used to articulate these themes: “Voicing the Taboo,” which permits the expression of unspeakable emotions like hatred; “Direct Address,” utilizing second-person narrative to maintain continuing bonds; and “Imaginary Projection,” through which users construct alternative cosmological orders. Contrary to the assumption that online anonymity primarily fosters hostility, the findings reveal the emergence of a “digital grief netiquette” characterized by nurturant, validating support. Ultimately, this thesis argues that mediated anonymity functions as a supportive sanctuary, expanding the boundaries of grievable life and allowing ordinary users to articulate complex, socially restricted emotions without the burden of identity performance.