Why some Chinese workers are 'lying flat'

Young people in China tired of work - 21st March 2022

Young people in China want change. It's normal to work hard there. Lots of people work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week. They call this '996'.

But now there's a new way of thinking – 'lying flat'. In Chinese, this is 'tang ping'. It means having a break from work.

This idea started in 2021 in the Covid pandemic. It began on social media, and it spread quickly.

The Covid-19 pandemic's slowing down, but tang ping isn't. On Chinese social media, lots of people post messages about it. They don't want to return to the old way. They hope to continue more slowly.

Last year, the Chinese government changed the law. Now it's against the law to work 996. But there's a problem. In China, you often have to work hard to be successful. And this won't change quickly.

Tang ping might be here to stay.