Abstract: Endowed with new connotations, the “second-hand life” is emerging as a new consumption trend among the young people, reflecting their value choices in contemporary society. This article takes as research object the group “selling only cheap but nice second-hand items” on Douban and, by applying grounded theory, proposes a three-layer formation logic of the “second-hand life” among the youth, whose initial engagement in the second-hand transactions is attributable to economic rationality and the convenience of social spaces, but endowment of the second-hand items trading with behavioral significance allows them to find new social belonging and emotional connections. This emotional experience permeates every aspect of second-hand transactions, solidifies into consumption habits, enhances the continuity of consumer behavior, and ultimately forms a sustainable lifestyle. This emerging consumption trend among the young people demonstrates a triple transcendence: 1) a functional shift from material possession to experiential consumption strategies; 2) a value-based leap from individual environmental actions toward social responsibility; and 3) a symbolic elevation from transactional acts to declarations of cultural identity. This trend responds to contemporary youth seeking more meaningful and responsible lifestyles, striking a delicate equilibrium between material fulfillment and spiritual value.

Key words: young people, “second-hand life”, formation logic, triple transcendence, Douban group