In China’s hypercompetitive job market, a growing number of young professionals are opting out of the relentless “996” work culture — working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week — that once epitomized ambition and success. Instead, they are embracing a lifestyle that prioritizes personal well-being over corporate expectations, signaling a significant shift in the country’s work ethos.
This movement, known by the phrases tang ping (lying flat) and bai lan (let it rot), reflects a collective disillusionment among China’s youth. These terms encapsulate a passive resistance to societal pressures and an acknowledgment of the diminishing returns of overexertion in a saturated job market. The phenomenon gained traction as many young people found themselves overworked, underpaid and facing limited upward mobility.
‘Burning out for someone else’s vision’
“I used to think working late meant I was valuable,” said Liu Wen, 25, who left her job at a fintech startup in Hangzhou last year. “But after two years of nonstop pressure and no promotion, I realized I was just burning out for someone else’s vision.”
The shift is not merely cultural — it’s tied to real economic pressures. Soaring housing costs, intense academic competition and stagnant wage growth have left many young Chinese skeptical of the traditional promise that hard work will yield social advancement.
A more recent manifestation of this disengagement is the emergence of the “rat people” subculture. These individuals, often unemployed or underemployed, choose to live modestly, spending their days in small apartments, engaging in minimal economic activity. This lifestyle is not born out of laziness but rather a conscious decision to reject the traditional markers of success.
These trends underscore a quiet rebellion: one not marked by protest but by retreat from participation in a system that many young Chinese see as rigged against them.
“My parents worked hard their whole lives to give me a better future,” said Zhao Ming, a 23-year-old recent graduate in Chengdu. “But now they worry because I’m not chasing the same kind of success. I just want to live a life that feels balanced — not one that breaks me.”
China’s youth unemployment rate has been a contributing factor to this cultural shift. As of April 2025, the urban youth unemployment rate for individuals aged 16 to 24 stood at 15.8%, a slight decrease from previous months but still indicative of a difficult job market. The scarcity of desirable employment opportunities has led many young people to reassess their career aspirations and life goals.
This economic backdrop is not only pushing young people out of the labor market but reshaping their relationships with work itself.
Quitting time for ‘996’?
In response to these changing attitudes, some Chinese companies are re-evaluating their workplace cultures. There is a growing recognition that the “996” model is unsustainable and even counterproductive.
The priorities of this youthful demographic cohort, known as Generation Z in the U.S., “primarily revolve around physical and mental health, followed closely by wealth accumulation,” said Zhang Xiaomeng, a professor at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, whose research surveyed 17,000 respondents. “They face obstacles in the workplace, including anxiety; low mental resilience; and dissatisfaction with pay, career prospects and work-life balance.”
Companies are beginning to implement more flexible work arrangements, prioritize employee well-being and offer clearer paths for career advancement to attract and retain talent. Human-resources teams across the country are also adjusting recruitment strategies to signal a more humane and adaptive office culture.
Startups and midsized firms have led the way, offering remote-work options, “wellness days” and clearer progression frameworks. Even some state-owned enterprises have relaxed dress codes and re-evaluated internal metrics to better align with evolving workforce expectations.
This shift among China’s young adults has broader implications for the country’s economy and society. It challenges long-held beliefs about work ethic and success, prompting a national conversation about the value of labor, the definition of achievement and the importance of mental health.
There’s also a growing policy interest in addressing youth disaffection, with local governments experimenting with job training programs, entrepreneurship subsidies and even mental-health awareness campaigns. Whether these will meaningfully change the structural pressures remains to be seen.
But what’s clear is that a generation that grew up amid rapid growth and urban transformation is now asking tougher questions about what a “good life” actually looks like — and whether constant sacrifice is worth the promise of advancement.
These young adults are signaling a desire for a more balanced and fulfilling life, moving away from the exhaustive demands of traditional work culture. This quiet rebellion is prompting employers and policymakers to reconsider and reformulate approaches to work, success and well-being in the modern era.
For a nation long defined by its high-octane growth and relentless drive, the rise of a slower, more skeptical generation could mark one of the most consequential cultural shifts in decades.
Tanner Brown covers China for MarketWatch and Barron’s.
More Tanner Brown dispatches:
Inside China’s quiet pension-funding crisis
China’s economic miracle appears to be in the past. Here’s why the future looks bleaker and bleaker.
Foreign brands are back in China. But the economy has cooled and domestic competition is dug-in.
U.S. companies reassert their dominance of Fortune Global 500 ranks vs. rival China
This post was originally published on Market Watch
