A growing number of young workers in China’s fiercely competitive labor market are opting out of the “996” work culture, which entails working six days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. In the past, this represented aspiration and achievement. Rather, they are embracing a lifestyle that prioritizes their personal fulfillment over what their employers want of them. The way individuals work in this country has changed significantly.
This movement, known as bai lan (let it rot) and tang ping (laying flat), reflects the disillusionment of China’s youth with the world. These terms characterize a passive defiance of social pressures and an awareness of how working too hard in a labor market that is already oversaturated can result in decreased earnings. Many young people were underpaid, stressed, and unable to advance in their employment, which led to the trend’s proliferation.
“Giving up for someone else’s vision”
Last year, 25-year-old Liu Wen, who believed that working late was beneficial, left her position at a finance firm in Hangzhou. “But after two years of nonstop pressure and no promotion, I realized I was just burning out for someone else’s vision.”
This shift is a result of actual economic issues as well as cultural shifts. Due to rising housing costs, intense competition in schools, and stagnating earnings, many young Chinese people do not accept the conventional promise that hard effort will lead to social improvement.
A more contemporary indication of this lack of engagement is the emergence of the “rat people” subculture. These individuals, who are mostly unemployed or underemployed, opt to live simply by occupying modest flats and contributing minimally to the economy. They choose this lifestyle because they don’t want to adhere to the conventional rules of success, not because they are lazy.
These shifts reflect a subdued rebellion: not rallies, but a refusal to participate in a system that many young Chinese believe is biased against them.
My name is Zhao Ming, and I recently received my degree from Chengdu College. “My parents worked hard all their lives to give me a better future,” she stated. “But now they’re worried because I’m not trying to get the same level of success.” I don’t want a life that breaks me; I just want a healthy one.
This change in society has been exacerbated by China’s high youth unemployment rate. The urban youth unemployment rate for those between the ages of 16 and 24 was 15.8% in April 2025. Even while this was somewhat less than in prior months, it nevertheless indicates how difficult the job market is. The lack of suitable jobs has forced many young people to reevaluate their career and life aspirations.
In addition to preventing young people from finding employment, the current status of the economy is also altering their attitudes toward labor.
What is the end of ‘996’?
Some Chinese companies are reevaluating their workplace management practices as a result of these shifts in perspective. People are becoming increasingly aware that the “996” model is unsustainable and possibly dangerous.
“Primarily revolve around physical and mental health, followed closely by wealth accumulation,” according to Zhang Xiaomeng, a professor at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, who conducted a survey with 17,000 respondents. In the United States, this youthful demographic is referred to as Generation Z. “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 prioritize employee wellness, provide more flexible work schedules, and facilitate career advancement in order to attract and retain talented workers. Human resources departments around the nation are also altering their hiring practices to demonstrate that the workplace is a more accommodating and welcoming environment.
Because they offer “wellness days,” work from home alternatives, and more transparent advancement frameworks, startups and medium-sized enterprises have been ahead of the curve. Some government-owned companies have even relaxed their dress codes and reexamined their internal metrics to ensure they meet the expectations of the new workforce.
China’s business and society as a whole are impacted by this shift among its young adults. It challenges long-held beliefs about success and hard effort, sparking a national conversation about the value of work, what success looks like, and the significance of mental health.
Additionally, governments are growing increasingly interested in how to address disgruntled young. For instance, local governments are experimenting with business incentives, job training programs, and even initiatives to increase mental health awareness. Whether these will actually alter the structural pressures is still unknown.
However, it’s evident that many who grew up in rapidly expanding and changing cities are now posing more challenging queries about what the “good life” actually entails and whether the promise of advancement justifies any sacrifices.
These young adults are expressing their desire to live a more contented and balanced existence free from the rigorous demands of conventional workplace culture. This silent resistance is forcing legislators and employers to rewrite and reconsider their ideas about success, work, and well-being in the modern world.
For a nation known for its rapid expansion and unrelenting ambition, the emergence of a slower, more skeptic group may represent one of the most significant cultural changes in decades.
