{{Short description|Chinese neologism, "lying flat"}} {{Italic title}} {{Wiktionary|tang ping}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}} {{infobox Chinese|title=''Tang ping''|c=躺平|l=lying flat|p=tǎng píng|bpmf=ㄊㄤˇ ㄆㄧㄥˊ|gr=taang pyng|w={{Tonesup|t'ang3 p'ing2}}|j={{Tonesup|tong2 ping4}}|poj=tháng pêⁿ|mi={{IPAc-cmn|t|ang|3|.|p|ing|2}} }} '''''Tang ping''''' ({{lang-zh|c=躺平|l=lying flat}}) is a Chinese slang term that describes a personal rejection of societal pressures to overwork and over-achieve, such as in the 996 working hour system, which is often regarded as a rat race with ever diminishing returns.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |title= China's new 'tang ping' trend aims to highlight pressures of work culture |date= June 3, 2021 |publisher= BBC |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57348406 |access-date= July 4, 2021 |archive-date= September 23, 2025 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20250923090613/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57348406 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="Indenpendent">{{cite web |title= An entire generation of Chinese youth is rejecting the pressures of hustle culture by 'lying flat' |work= The Independent |date=June 9, 2021 |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/china/china-tang-ping-trend-work-culture-b1862444.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/china/china-tang-ping-trend-work-culture-b1862444.html |archive-date=2022-05-26 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=China's youth are lying flat: the fear is, so might their futures |work=South China Morning Post |date=June 14, 2021 |url=https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3136920/chinas-youth-are-lying-flat-fear-so-might-their-futures |access-date=July 4, 2021 |archive-date=November 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107202415/https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3136920/chinas-youth-are-lying-flat-fear-so-might-their-futures |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Kuo /> ''Tang ping'' means choosing to "lie down flat and get over the beatings" by adopting a "low-desire life."
Novelist Liao Zenghu described "lying flat" as a passive-aggressive resistance movement,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/business-d2b9f71d73219b32d78709b0afb443ca |publisher=Associated Press |date=July 4, 2021 |title=Some Chinese shun grueling careers for 'low-desire life' |author1=Joe McDonald |author2=Fu Ting |archive-date=November 25, 2021 |access-date=July 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125185753/https://apnews.com/article/business-d2b9f71d73219b32d78709b0afb443ca |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''The New York Times'' called it part of a nascent Chinese counterculture.<ref name="NYTChen" /> It has also been compared to the Great Resignation, a surge of resignations that began in the West at roughly the same time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kaplan |first1=Juliana |title=The labor shortage is reshaping the economy and how people talk about work. Here's a glossary of all the new phrases that sum up workers' frustration with their deal, from 'lying flat' to 'antiwork.' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-a-labor-shortage-strike-shortages-great-resignation-defined-2021-11 |work=Business Insider |date=3 November 2021 |archive-date=November 17, 2021 |access-date=November 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117052746/https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-a-labor-shortage-strike-shortages-great-resignation-defined-2021-11 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="scmp-oct-2021">{{cite news |last1=Siqi |first1=Ji |last2=Huifeng |first2=He |last3=Peach |first3=Brian |title=What is 'lying flat', and why are Chinese officials standing up to it? |url=https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3153362/what-lying-flat-and-why-are-chinese-officials-standing-it |work=South China Morning Post |date=24 October 2021 |archive-date=November 17, 2021 |access-date=November 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117073618/https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3153362/what-lying-flat-and-why-are-chinese-officials-standing-it |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Tharoor |first1=Ishaan |title=Analysis {{!}} The 'Great Resignation' goes global |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/18/labor-great-resignation-global/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=18 October 2021 |archive-date=November 9, 2021 |access-date=November 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109090138/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/18/labor-great-resignation-global/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The National Language Resources Monitoring and Research Center, an institution affiliated with the Education Ministry of China, listed the phrase as one of the 10 most popular memes for 2021 in the Chinese Internet. Chinese search engine Sogou also listed the neologism at the top of its list of most trending memes for 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://qz.com/2099309/lying-flat-is-officially-one-of-chinas-top-memes-of-2021/|title='Lying flat' is officially one of China's top memes of 2021|work=Quartz|date=2021-12-07|first= Jane |last=Li |url-status=live |archive-url= https://archive.today/20211207130200/https://qz.com/2099309/lying-flat-is-officially-one-of-chinas-top-memes-of-2021/|archive-date=2021-12-07}}</ref>
Those who choose to "lie flat" may lower their professional commitment and economic ambitions, prioritize psychological health over economic materialism, and simplify their goals, while still being fiscally productive to meet their essential needs.<ref name="SixthTone">{{cite web|url=https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1007589/tired-of-running-in-place%2C-young-chinese-lie-down|title=Tired of Running in Place, Young Chinese 'Lie Down'|last1=Zhang|first1=Wanqing|last2=Liu|first2=Mengqiu|date=2021-05-27|publisher=Sixth Tone|access-date=2021-07-15|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101093802/https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1007589/tired-of-running-in-place%2C-young-chinese-lie-down|url-status=live}}</ref>
The phrase "quiet quitting", meaning doing only what one's job demands and nothing more, which became popular in the United States in 2022,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Serenko |first1=A. |year=2023 |title=The human capital management perspective on quiet quitting: Recommendations for employees, managers, and national policymakers |url=http://www.aserenko.com/papers/QuietQuittingSerenkoJKM.pdf |journal=Journal of Knowledge Management |volume=in-press |issue= |pages=27–43 |doi=10.1108/JKM-10-2022-0792 |s2cid=258026195 |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=July 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426165013/http://www.aserenko.com/papers/QuietQuittingSerenkoJKM.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Perisha Kudhail |date=31 August 2022 |title=Quiet quitting: The workplace trend taking over TikTok |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62638908 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |access-date=August 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901001939/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62638908 |url-status=live }}</ref> was thought to be inspired by the ''tang ping'' movement.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/08/07/workers-embrace-bare-minimum-quiet-quitting-trend/|title=Workers embrace the bare minimum in 'quiet quitting' trend|date=7 August 2022|author=Henry Bodkin}}</ref> Another newer related phrase is ''bai lan'' ({{lang-zh|c=摆烂|p=bǎi làn|l=let it rot}}), which means "to actively embrace a deteriorating situation, rather than trying to turn it around". Basically, it refers to a voluntary retreat from pursuing certain goals because individuals realize they are simply too difficult to achieve.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/26/the-rise-of-bai-lan-why-chinas-frustrated-youth-are-ready-to-let-it-rot "The rise of 'bai lan': why China's frustrated youth are ready to 'let it rot{{'"}}] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706230350/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/26/the-rise-of-bai-lan-why-chinas-frustrated-youth-are-ready-to-let-it-rot |date=July 6, 2024 }}. ''The Guardian''. 2022.</ref> An extreme version of lying flat dubbed "rat people" ({{lang-zh|c=老鼠人|p=lǎoshǔrén|l=}}) had surfaced in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=Matthew Loh, Kwan Wei Kevin |title=China's broke and burned-out young workers are coming together under a new banner: 'rat people' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/china-rat-people-broke-burnt-out-social-media-unemployment-2025-4 |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=Business Insider |archive-date=June 6, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250606080445/https://www.businessinsider.com/china-rat-people-broke-burnt-out-social-media-unemployment-2025-4 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2025, the Cyberspace Administration of China mandated that social media platforms censor expressions of lying flat and other "negative worldviews".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Liu |first=John |date=2025-09-24 |title=China's internet censors have a new target: pessimists |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/23/tech/chinas-internet-censors-target-pessimism-intl-hnk |access-date=2025-09-24 |website=CNN Business |archive-date=September 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250924115623/https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/23/tech/chinas-internet-censors-target-pessimism-intl-hnk |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kuo |first=Lily |date=2025-10-08 |title=Cheer Up, or Else: China Cracks Down on the Haters and Cynics |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/world/asia/china-censorship-pessimism-despair.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251008112320/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/world/asia/china-censorship-pessimism-despair.html |archive-date=2025-10-08 |access-date=2025-10-08 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}</ref>
== Origin == The term first appeared around February 2020 (the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic) on the Chinese Internet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tang ping: the Chinese millennials lying flat to protest against overwork |first=Ariane |last=Picoche |date=2022-01-17 |url=https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/tang-ping-chinese-milennials-protest-overwork |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=Welcome to the Jungle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928133445/https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/tang-ping-chinese-milennials-protest-overwork |archive-date=2022-09-28}}</ref> The movement began in April 2021 with a post by Luo Huazhong (username "Kind-Hearted Traveler") on the internet forum Baidu Tieba, in which he discussed his reasons for living a low-key, minimalist lifestyle. In 2016, 26-year-old Luo quit his factory job because it made him feel empty. He then cycled {{cvt|1300|mi|km|order=flip}} from Sichuan to Tibet, and now back in his home town Jiande in eastern Zhejiang Province, spends his time reading philosophy, and gets by doing a few odd jobs and taking US$60 a month from his savings.<ref name="Qz2019">{{cite news |last1=Li |first1=Jane |title=A niche Chinese Gen Z meme is ringing alarm bells for Beijing |url=https://qz.com/2019322/why-lying-flat-a-niche-chinese-millennial-meme-alarms-beijing/ |access-date=6 May 2022 |work=Quartz |date=18 June 2021 |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221024712/https://qz.com/2019322/why-lying-flat-a-niche-chinese-millennial-meme-alarms-beijing/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=NYTChen/> He only eats two meals a day.<ref name="Qz2019" />
In a post entitled "Lying Flat is Justice", Luo writes: {{Blockquote|I can just sleep in my barrel enjoying a sunbath like Diogenes, or live in a cave-like Heraclitus and think about 'Logos'. Since there has never really been a trend of thought that exalts human subjectivity in this land, I can create it for myself. Lying flat is my wise movement, only by lying down can humans become the measure of all things.<ref name="BBC" /><ref name="Indenpendent" />}}
Luo's post and story quickly gained a following on social media, being discussed and soon becoming a buzzword on Sina Weibo and Douban. The idea was praised by many and inspired numerous memes, and has been described as a sort of spiritual movement.<ref name = "BBC"/> Business magazine ''ABC Money'' claimed it resonated with a growing silent majority of youth disillusioned by the officially endorsed "Chinese Dream" that encourages a life of hard work and sacrifice with no actual life satisfaction to show for it, spawning the catchphrase "a chive lying flat is difficult to reap" ({{lang|zh|躺平的韭菜不好割}}, {{transliteration|zh|Tǎng píng de jiǔcài bù hǎo gē}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abcmoney.co.uk/2021/06/22/why-chinese-youth-are-lying-flat-as-a-form-of-resistance-to-ccp-rule/|title=Why Chinese youth are 'lying flat' as a form of resistance to CCP rule|last=James|first=Claire|date=2021-06-22|publisher=ABC Money|access-date=2021-07-15|archive-date=November 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125185743/https://www.abcmoney.co.uk/2021/06/22/why-chinese-youth-are-lying-flat-as-a-form-of-resistance-to-ccp-rule/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Background == In April 2021, a truck driver committed suicide due to fines and the impoundment of his vehicle, which sparked widespread discussion on the internet about the hardships of life at the grassroots level. Despite official emphasis on "poverty alleviation success" and the narrative of achieving a "moderately prosperous society," his death drew attention to the lack of significant improvement, and even decline, in labor conditions amidst the rapid pace of social development. The exacerbation of domestic social problems in mainland China due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 also played a role. Some commentators argue that similar incidents are commonplace and that the working class has not truly benefited from rapid economic growth.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-13 |title=货车司机自杀的背后是科技神话的破灭{{!}}金师傅{{!}}打工人_网易订阅 |url=https://www.163.com/dy/article/G7CS3FK805148KTR.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613204303/https://www.163.com/dy/article/G7CS3FK805148KTR.html |archive-date=2021-06-13 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-14 |title=【资料汇编】卡车司机服毒自杀抗议扣车罚款事件 {{!}} 中国劳工通讯 |work=中国劳工通讯 |url=https://clb.org.hk/zh-hans/content/%E3%80%90%E8%B5%84%E6%96%99%E6%B1%87%E7%BC%96%E3%80%91%E5%8D%A1%E8%BD%A6%E5%8F%B8%E6%9C%BA%E6%9C%8D%E6%AF%92%E8%87%AA%E6%9D%80%E6%8A%97%E8%AE%AE%E6%89%A3%E8%BD%A6%E7%BD%9A%E6%AC%BE%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414082237/https://clb.org.hk/zh-hans/content/%E3%80%90%E8%B5%84%E6%96%99%E6%B1%87%E7%BC%96%E3%80%91%E5%8D%A1%E8%BD%A6%E5%8F%B8%E6%9C%BA%E6%9C%8D%E6%AF%92%E8%87%AA%E6%9D%80%E6%8A%97%E8%AE%AE%E6%89%A3%E8%BD%A6%E7%BD%9A%E6%AC%BE%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6 |archive-date=2021-04-14 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-13 |title=这是谁人之耻？ - 乌有之乡 |url=http://www.wyzxwk.com/Article/shiping/2021/04/433391.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613213208/http://www.wyzxwk.com/Article/shiping/2021/04/433391.html |archive-date=2021-06-13 }}</ref>
In May 2021, due to changes in population structure, the government of the People's Republic of China announced the introduction of a three-child policy. However, some analysts believe that many young people today face challenges such as long working hours, stagnant wages, difficulties with homeownership, mental and physical exhaustion, and heavy burdens of caring for older people, leading to a widespread decline in the willingness to marry and have children.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-13 |title=三孩生育开放了？微信群沸腾了，我已笑趴，你还生么？{{!}}独生子女{{!}}两代人{{!}}生小孩_网易订阅 |url=https://www.163.com/dy/article/GBBVHGFL0526ARP6.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613224421/https://www.163.com/dy/article/GBBVHGFL0526ARP6.html |archive-date=2021-06-13 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-13 |title=2021年三孩政策开放，网友：生娃容易，养娃难，多给点实际的好处{{!}}生育{{!}}婴儿{{!}}生三胎{{!}}三宝_网易订阅 |url=http://163.com/dy/article/GC2J69FC05521AZ3.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613225343/http://163.com/dy/article/GC2J69FC05521AZ3.html |archive-date=2021-06-13 }}</ref>
From April to May 2021, a video circulated on the video-sharing website Bilibili featuring a speech by well-known media personality Bai Yansong. When asked about the phenomenon of contemporary young people feeling patriotic and optimistic about the country's future while also feeling powerless in the face of life and employment pressures, Bai Yansong responded with a rhetorical question: "Do we now expect housing prices to be low, jobs to be easy to find everywhere, no pressure at all, and as long as you pursue the girl you like, she will agree?" This statement sparked a barrage of criticism and ridicule from numerous netizens.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-04 |title=不会吧白岩松，咱可是读书人_哔哩哔哩_bilibili |url=https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1MQ4y1o7Ap |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804053815/https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1MQ4y1o7Ap |archive-date=2021-08-04 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-08 |title=中国年轻人：拒绝"加油干"，只想"躺平"了 {{!}} 德国之声 来自德国 介绍德国 {{!}} DW {{!}} 06.06.2021 |website=Deutsche Welle |url=https://www.dw.com/zh/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E5%B9%B4%E8%BD%BB%E4%BA%BA%E6%8B%92%E7%BB%9D%E5%8A%A0%E6%B2%B9%E5%B9%B2%E5%8F%AA%E6%83%B3%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3%E4%BA%86/a-57791341 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608164422/https://www.dw.com/zh/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E5%B9%B4%E8%BD%BB%E4%BA%BA%E6%8B%92%E7%BB%9D%E5%8A%A0%E6%B2%B9%E5%B9%B2%E5%8F%AA%E6%83%B3%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3%E4%BA%86/a-57791341 |archive-date=2021-06-08 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-04 |title=五城被纳入重点监测名单！住建部再度启动约谈，释放这个信号！三四线城市要注意 _ 证券时报网 |url=https://news.stcn.com/sd/202107/t20210730_3490838.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804055235/https://news.stcn.com/sd/202107/t20210730_3490838.html |archive-date=2021-08-04 }}</ref>
== Official responses ==
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) moved quickly to reject the idea. The CAC internet regulator ordered online platforms to "strictly restrict" posts on ''tang ping'' and had censors remove Luo's original Tieba post<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yuan |first1=Shawn |title=Silent resistance against social pressures in China |journal=The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health |date=1 January 2022 |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=11–12 |doi=10.1016/S2352-4642(21)00378-3 |pmid=34921804 |s2cid=245255571 |url=https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(21)00378-3/fulltext |access-date=6 May 2022 |issn=2352-4642 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=February 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227181649/https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(21)00378-3/fulltext |url-status=live }}</ref> while a discussion group of nearly 10,000 followers on Chinese social media site Douban is no longer accessible.<ref name="BBC" /> Selling ''tang ping''-branded merchandise online is forbidden.<ref name="NYTChen" />
In May 2021, Chinese state media Xinhua published an editorial asserting that "lying flat" is shameful.<ref>{{cite news|title='躺平'可耻，哪来的正义感？|trans-title='Lying flat' shameful, where is sense of justice?|language=Chinese|publisher=Xinhua|date=May 20, 2021|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/comments/2021-05/20/c_1127467232.htm|archive-date=May 30, 2021|access-date=July 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210530072540/http://www.xinhuanet.com/comments/2021-05/20/c_1127467232.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-05|title=The low-desire life: why people in China are rejecting high-pressure jobs in favour of 'lying flat'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/05/the-low-desire-life-why-people-in-china-are-rejecting-high-pressure-jobs-in-favour-of-lying-flat|access-date=2021-07-06|website=The Guardian|archive-date=October 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026040219/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/05/the-low-desire-life-why-people-in-china-are-rejecting-high-pressure-jobs-in-favour-of-lying-flat|url-status=live}}</ref> In May, a video clip of CCTV news commentator Bai Yansong criticizing the low-key mindset circulated on the popular video-sharing website Bilibili,<ref name="SixthTone"/> and had attracted thousands of mockeries and slurs on the ''danmu'' commentaries in response.<ref>{{cite web|title=蚌埠住了，白岩松："难道我们现在指望的是房价很低，然后一点压力都没有？不会吧？！"请看2021年4月房价排行榜|url=https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1MQ4y1o7Ap?from=search&seid=5804890937214461645|website=哔哩哔哩弹幕视频网|access-date=2021-05-11|archive-date=2021-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514172354/https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1MQ4y1o7Ap?from=search&seid=5804890937214461645}}</ref><ref name="dwc66">{{cite news|title=中国年轻人：拒绝"加油干"，只想"躺平"了|url=https://www.dw.com/zh/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E5%B9%B4%E8%BD%BB%E4%BA%BA%E6%8B%92%E7%BB%9D%E5%8A%A0%E6%B2%B9%E5%B9%B2%E5%8F%AA%E6%83%B3%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3%E4%BA%86/a-57791341|access-date=2021-06-23|agency=德国之声中文网|date=2021-06-06|archive-date=2021-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608164422/https://www.dw.com/zh/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E5%B9%B4%E8%BD%BB%E4%BA%BA%E6%8B%92%E7%BB%9D%E5%8A%A0%E6%B2%B9%E5%B9%B2%E5%8F%AA%E6%83%B3%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3%E4%BA%86/a-57791341}}</ref> The same month, a commentary of Hubei Radio and Television Economic Channel said, "you can accept your fate, but you mustn't lie flat."<ref>{{cite news|title=湖北经视评论："认命"可以 "躺平"不行|trans-title=Hubei Radio and Television Economic Channel commentary: "You can 'accept your fate', but you mustn't 'lie flat'."|url=https://v.ifeng.com/c/86YIrXI8dMd|publisher=Hubei Radio and Television Economic Channel|date=2021-05-20|language=zh-hans|work=Phoenix Television|archivedate=2021-06-06|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606090422/https://v.ifeng.com/c/86YIrXI8dMd|url-status=live|accessdate=2021-06-06}}</ref> An October article by CCP general secretary Xi Jinping, published in the Communist Party journal ''Qiushi'', called for "avoiding 'involution' [{{Transliteration|zh|nei juan}}] and 'lying flat{{' "}}.<ref name="scmp-oct-2021" /><ref>{{cite web|title=扎实推动共同富裕|trans-title=Solidly promoting common prosperity|language=zh|website=Qiushi|url=http://www.qstheory.cn/dukan/qs/2021-10/15/c_1127959365.htm|date=2021-10-15|author=Xi Jinping|author-link=Xi Jinping|access-date=November 19, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017190656/http://www.qstheory.cn/dukan/qs/2021-10/15/c_1127959365.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
However, official voices were offering more empathetic views on the ''tang ping'' phenomenon. Beijing's party-affiliated ''Guangming Daily'' newspaper added that ''tang ping'' should not be discounted without reflection—if China wants to cultivate diligence in the young generation, it should first try to improve their quality of life.<ref name="SixthTone"/> Huang Ping, a literature professor who researches youth culture at East China Normal University, told ''Sixth Tone'' that official media outlets may be concerned about the ''tang ping'' lifestyle because of its potential to threaten productivity, but "humans aren't merely tools for making things... when you can't catch up with society's development—say, skyrocketing home prices—''tang ping'' is actually the most rational choice."<ref name="SixthTone"/>
On 28 April 2026, the Ministry of State Security (MSS) published a video in its official WeChat channel criticizing ''tang ping'', calling it an example of "ideological infiltration by hostile anti-China forces abroad" targeting young people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 April 2026 |title=中国国安部：煽动躺平是境外反华势力意识形态渗透 |trans-title=China's Ministry of State Security: Inciting people to "lie down" is an ideological infiltration by foreign anti-China forces. |url=https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20260428-8963626 |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=Lianhe Zaobao |language=zh-Hans |archive-date=April 28, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260428041419/https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20260428-8963626 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Miao|first=Hannah|date=2026-04-28|title=China Says Hostile Foreign Forces Are Driving Its Youth to Slack Off|url=https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-says-hostile-foreign-forces-are-driving-its-youth-to-slack-off-2781aba1|url-access=subscription|access-date=2026-05-03|website=The Wall Street Journal|language=en-US|archive-date=May 1, 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260501010637/https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-says-hostile-foreign-forces-are-driving-its-youth-to-slack-off-2781aba1|url-status=live}}</ref> The video was met with widespread derision and disappointment on social media in China.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Shijie |date=4 May 2026 |title=Blaming 'Foreign Forces' Backfires for Beijing |url=https://jamestown.org/blaming-foreign-forces-backfires-for-beijing/ |access-date=2026-05-16 |website=Jamestown Foundation |archive-date=May 8, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260508235735/https://jamestown.org/blaming-foreign-forces-backfires-for-beijing/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Comments ==
=== Negative comments === In May 2021, Sina Weibo's "Communist Youth League Central Committee" posted a Weibo message stating that "contemporary young people have never chosen to lie flat." The Nanfang Daily published a commentary article titled "Lying flat is shameful, where does the sense of justice come from?" by Wang Qingfeng, which criticized the "lying flat philosophy," condemning it as harmful and "toxic chicken soup".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-02 |title="躺平"可耻，哪来的正义感？_第A04版：评论_ 2021-05-20 _南方日报数字报_南方网 |url=http://epaper.southcn.com/nfdaily/html/2021-05/20/content_7944231.htm |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602054559/http://epaper.southcn.com/nfdaily/html/2021-05/20/content_7944231.htm |archive-date=2021-06-02 }}</ref> This article was reposted by Xinhua News Agency.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-30 |title="躺平"可耻，哪来的正义感？-新华网 |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/comments/2021-05/20/c_1127467232.htm |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210530072540/http://www.xinhuanet.com/comments/2021-05/20/c_1127467232.htm |archive-date=2021-05-30 }}</ref> The Guangming Daily's "Guangming Commentary" column criticized the "lying flat" phenomenon in an article titled "Rejecting 'involution,' are young people starting to believe in 'lying flat-ology'?".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-15 |title=光明时评：拒绝"内卷"，年轻人开始信奉"躺平学"了？ _光明网 |url=https://politics.gmw.cn/2021-05/15/content_34847222.htm |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515190925/https://politics.gmw.cn/2021-05/15/content_34847222.htm |archive-date=2021-05-15 }}</ref> A commentary from the TV Economic Channel of Hubei Radio and Television stated: "Accepting fate is okay, lying flat is not".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-06 |title=湖北经视评论："认命"可以 "躺平"不行_凤凰网视频_凤凰网 |url=https://v.ifeng.com/c/86YIrXI8dMd |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606090422/https://v.ifeng.com/c/86YIrXI8dMd |archive-date=2021-06-06 }}</ref> The ''Global Times''<nowiki/>' "Global Times Sharp Commentary" column sarcastically said: "Young people who claim to lie flat are always woken up at dawn by the alarm clocks they set themselves".<ref name="躺平主义危险吗">{{Cite web |date=2021-06-02 |title=躺平主义危险吗 |url=https://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20210601-%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3%E4%B8%BB%E4%B9%89%E5%8D%B1%E9%99%A9%E5%90%97 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602122757/https://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20210601-%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3%E4%B8%BB%E4%B9%89%E5%8D%B1%E9%99%A9%E5%90%97 |archive-date=2021-06-02 }}</ref>
Li Fengliang, an associate professor at Tsinghua University, believes that "lying flat is an extremely irresponsible attitude that not only disappoints one's parents but also millions of taxpayers. ... People can still achieve upward social mobility through competition."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-12 |title=习近平要"撸起袖子加油干"我们要"躺平" |url=https://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20210603-%E4%B9%A0%E8%BF%91%E5%B9%B3%E8%A6%81-%E6%92%B8%E8%B5%B7%E8%A2%96%E5%AD%90%E5%8A%A0%E6%B2%B9%E5%B9%B2-%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E8%A6%81-%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612073704/https://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20210603-%E4%B9%A0%E8%BF%91%E5%B9%B3%E8%A6%81-%E6%92%B8%E8%B5%B7%E8%A2%96%E5%AD%90%E5%8A%A0%E6%B2%B9%E5%B9%B2-%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E8%A6%81-%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3 |archive-date=2021-06-12 }}</ref>
On December 27, 2021, the Guangming Daily published a commentary on its front page titled "Lying Flat is Not Advisable," rejecting the behavior of lying flat.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-27 |title=躺平不可取-光明日报-光明网 |url=https://epaper.gmw.cn/gmrb/html/2021-12/27/nw.D110000gmrb_20211227_5-01.htm |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227101904/https://epaper.gmw.cn/gmrb/html/2021-12/27/nw.D110000gmrb_20211227_5-01.htm |archive-date=2021-12-27 }}</ref>
=== Positive comments === Financial scholar He Jiangbing believes that lying flat is a kind of "helpless activism". Although it will harm the economy, reducing consumption helps reduce waste and carbon footprint, which is conducive to achieving carbon emission reduction targets. People who "lie flat" are usually very gentle, not rebellious, and tend not to retaliate against society, which helps maintain stability. He believes that it is unreasonable to accuse young people of lying flat as decadent, and that a rigid hierarchy and a lack of fair competition are the real decadence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-12 |title=国家在"做梦" 人民却"躺平"，中共一大警讯？ |url=https://www.voachinese.com/a/people-lie-flat-but-the-country-is-still-dreaming-a-warning-sign-of-CCP-20210611/5925034.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612073154/https://www.voachinese.com/a/people-lie-flat-but-the-country-is-still-dreaming-a-warning-sign-of-CCP-20210611/5925034.html |archive-date=2021-06-12 }}</ref> "Lying flat" can be extended to describe a state of inaction with low desire, low social participation, and not catering to secular expectations or mainstream views, to resist or withdraw from formulaic social norms (but not anti-social).<ref>{{Cite web |title=像高士那样躺平 风雅地 |url=http://epaper.ynet.com/images/2021-09/17/B08/bjqnb20210917B08.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917081047/http://epaper.ynet.com/images/2021-09/17/B08/bjqnb20210917B08.pdf |archive-date=2021-09-17 |access-date=2024-04-23}}</ref>
On August 3, 2021, former CIA employee and NSA contractor Edward Snowden posted on Twitter, sharing the song "Lying Flat is King", and encouraged young people to "never forget that you are not alone: the exploitation of the emerging generation is a global struggle."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-03 |title=Edward Snowden on Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/snowden/status/1422249587817996288 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803062725/https://twitter.com/snowden/status/1422249587817996288 |archive-date=2021-08-03 }}</ref>
Huang Ping, a professor in the Department of Chinese at East China Normal University, believes that "lying flat" is a way for young people to put down their burdens. When people cannot keep up with the distorted development of society (such as soaring housing prices),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-01 |title=让年轻人不再因房价"躺平"！住建部表态，40个城市集体开始行动{{!}}租赁房{{!}}住房{{!}}租房{{!}}商品房_网易订阅 |url=https://www.163.com/dy/article/GFPLEQV10529ITN0.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801053842/https://www.163.com/dy/article/GFPLEQV10529ITN0.html |archive-date=2021-08-01 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-01 |title=专栏 {{!}} 中国最钱线：钱线爱吐槽 - 躺平不是问题，想躺平而不得才是 — 普通话主页 |url=https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/zhuanlan/zhongguozuiqianxian/zqx-07262021131306.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801053853/https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/zhuanlan/zhongguozuiqianxian/zqx-07262021131306.html |archive-date=2021-08-01 }}</ref> "lying flat" is not a bad choice as the most rational option, and the official media's attention to this trend is due to concerns that the lying flat philosophy may pose a potential threat to productivity.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-02 |title=Tired of Running in Place, Young Chinese 'Lie Down' |url=https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1007589/tired-of-running-in-place,-young-chinese-lie-down |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602095227/https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1007589/tired-of-running-in-place,-young-chinese-lie-down |archive-date=2021-06-02 }}</ref> There is also a view that although "lying flat" is only an emotional social response, it also poses new issues for the healthy development of society, such as how to improve the working environment and career development ecology of young people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-05 |title=觀瀾{{!}}致青年「躺平」者：奮鬥才是成功者不過期的「通行證」|website=中國熱點 |url=https://www.chinahot.org/finances/179869.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705023331/https://www.chinahot.org/finances/179869.html |archive-date=2021-07-05 }}</ref>
Columnist Chang Ping commented that "lying flat-ism" is "an awakening of rights consciousness and identity consciousness."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-13 |title=时事大家谈: "躺平"为何在中国突然流行并引发争议？ |url=https://www.voachinese.com/a/voaweishi-20210601-voaio-why-tangping-is-suddenly-popular-in-china/5912380.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613214150/https://www.voachinese.com/a/voaweishi-20210601-voaio-why-tangping-is-suddenly-popular-in-china/5912380.html |archive-date=2021-06-13 }}</ref> Sinologist Mieke Matthyssen further describes tangping as a "courageous resistance" that expresses a desire for a mentally healthy lifestyle and balanced personal development. It is a form of "self-preservation" against the harmful inputs of excessive materialism and submissive citizenship.<ref>Matthyssen, Mieke (2024). "Tangping (lying flat) among young adults: Shameful, courageous, or just fleeting resistance?," in ''[https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789463723992/self-development-ethics-and-politics-in-china-today Self-Development Ethics and Politics in China Today: A keyword approach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250104070908/https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789463723992/self-development-ethics-and-politics-in-china-today |date=January 4, 2025 }}'', pages 279–302, Amsterdam University Press.</ref>
=== Analysis of the phenomenon === In a post in May 2021, Guangming Net stated that lying flat is a common phenomenon across a wide range of countries and regions. An economy possesses a certain security function and diversified economic opportunities when it reaches the climax of a state, so the marginal utility of working overtime decreases, resulting in a passive young generation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-18 |title=光明网评论员：年轻人选择"躺平"，也是在传递信号 _光明网 |url=https://guancha.gmw.cn/2021-05/18/content_34853692.htm |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518082025/https://guancha.gmw.cn/2021-05/18/content_34853692.htm |archive-date=2021-05-18 }}</ref>
According to the BBC, the serial popularity of "Geyou Lying Down" to "Lazy eggs" to "mourning culture" signals the increasing pressure on the younger generation, who grew up under the single-child policy, to work longer hours, abide by the social credit system, and show their patriotism.<ref name="BBC" />
On June 9, 2021, the British newspaper ''The Independent'' identified Lying Flat as an online protest by young people in China, an extension of similar movements around the world that call for rest and recovery rather than busyness.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-20 |title=Tang ping trend: What is 'lying flat' protest in China |website=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/china/china-tang-ping-trend-work-culture-b1862444.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620200713/https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/china/china-tang-ping-trend-work-culture-b1862444.html |archive-date=2021-06-20 }}</ref> ''Business Insider'' and ''The Washington Post'' reported on the issue and interviewed several young people who practice reclinism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Teh |first=Cheryl |title=More and more Chinese 20-somethings are rejecting the rat race and 'lying flat' after watching their friends work themselves to death |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/disenchanted-chinese-youth-join-a-mass-movement-to-lie-flat-2021-6 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Business Insider |archive-date=April 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423184831/https://www.businessinsider.com/disenchanted-chinese-youth-join-a-mass-movement-to-lie-flat-2021-6 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Kuo>{{Cite news |date=2021-06-05 |title=Young Chinese take a stand against pressures of modern life — by lying down |first=Lily |last=Kuo |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-lying-flat-stress/2021/06/04/cef36902-c42f-11eb-89a4-b7ae22aa193e_story.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618013720/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-lying-flat-stress/2021/06/04/cef36902-c42f-11eb-89a4-b7ae22aa193e_story.html |archive-date=2021-06-18 }}</ref>
According to ''The New York Times'', lying flat happens in the US too. It's a movement that individuals are embracing, lying flat as a way to resist the expectations of relentless productivity and career success. It highlights economic inequality, limited job opportunities, and a sense of disillusionment with the traditional path of working long hours as factors contributing to the rise of the lying flat movement. Lying flat represents a rejection of the idea that one's job or economic status solely determines one's worth. Instead, it reflects a desire for a simpler, more fulfilling life that prioritizes personal well-being over material success.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rosenblum |first=Cassady |date=2021-08-22 |title=Opinion {{!}} Work Is a False Idol |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/22/opinion/lying-flat-work-rest.html |access-date=2024-04-25 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
In NTV NEWS24, Morimoto Hayashi believes that the popularity of the "lying flat" movement contrasts sharply with the philosophy of striving advocated repeatedly by the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, such as "the new era is the era of struggle." This news has garnered thousands of responses on Japanese websites, resonating with many Japanese netizens.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-13 |title=中国の若者に広がる"寝そべり主義"とは（日本テレビ系（NNN）） - Yahoo!ニュース |work=Yahoo!ニュース |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ca89c9db0a1b5d4415c8c72b15fda73fc2bbf740 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613035356/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ca89c9db0a1b5d4415c8c72b15fda73fc2bbf740 |archive-date=2021-06-13 }}</ref>
Some believe that the official concern and criticism of the trend stem from its ideological connotation of non-cooperation, which is considered a potential threat to stability.<ref name="躺平主义危险吗"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-02 |title="内卷"与"躺平"之间挣扎的中国年轻人 |work=BBC News Chinese |url=https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-57304453 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602125611/https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-57304453 |archive-date=2021-06-02 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-12 |title=中共不承認「內卷」，更不容忍青年「躺平」退出這場倖存者遊戲 |work=The News Lens |url=https://www.thenewslens.com/article/154773 |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912081649/https://www.thenewslens.com/article/154773 |archive-date=2021-09-12 }}</ref>
== Similar concepts ==
=== Quiet quitting === The phrase "quiet quitting", meaning doing only what one's job demands and nothing more, which became popular in the United States in 2022 primarily due to the evolving landscape of work culture influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic reshaped the way people worked, with remote and hybrid models becoming more common, individuals began to reassess their priorities and work-life balance.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Life |first1=Soo Kim |last2=Reporter |first2=Trends |date=2023-02-03 |title=More than a third of Americans are "quiet quitting" |url=https://www.newsweek.com/why-more-americans-are-quiet-quitting-1777657 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Newsweek |archive-date=April 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423190608/https://www.newsweek.com/why-more-americans-are-quiet-quitting-1777657 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Before 'quiet quitting,' China was 'lying flat.' How the anti-work movement swept the globe |url=https://fortune.com/2022/09/01/quiet-quitting-anti-work-job-lying-flat-china-us-economy-global/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Fortune |archive-date=April 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423190610/https://fortune.com/2022/09/01/quiet-quitting-anti-work-job-lying-flat-china-us-economy-global/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was thought to be inspired by the ''tang ping'' movement. Another newer related phrase is ''bai lan'' (Chinese: 摆烂; pinyin: ''bǎi làn''; <abbr><small>lit.</small></abbr> 'let it rot'), which means "to actively embrace a deteriorating situation, rather than trying to turn it around". Basically, it refers to a voluntary retreat from pursuing certain goals because individuals realize they are simply too difficult to achieve.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ni |first=Vincent |date=2022-05-26 |title=The rise of 'bai lan': why China's frustrated youth are ready to 'let it rot' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/26/the-rise-of-bai-lan-why-chinas-frustrated-youth-are-ready-to-let-it-rot |access-date=2024-04-23 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=July 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706230350/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/26/the-rise-of-bai-lan-why-chinas-frustrated-youth-are-ready-to-let-it-rot |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-05 |title=Why Chinese youths are going from 'lying flat' to 'letting it rot' |url=https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3194858/lying-flat-letting-it-rot-why-chinas-frustrated-youth-are |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Young Post}}</ref>
It has been seen as a rejection of the hustle-culture mentality long associated with career success and corporate ladder climbing. It showcases the stance that employers can no longer extract and exploit more employee labor than they are paying for.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salvucci |first=Jeremy |date=2024-04-16 |title=What is quiet quitting? The viral misnomer explained |url=https://www.thestreet.com/dictionary/quiet-quitting |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=TheStreet |archive-date=April 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423191343/https://www.thestreet.com/dictionary/quiet-quitting |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Sampo generation === Sampo generation is also referred to as "Three giving-up generation", a neologism in South Korea referring to a generation that gives up courtship, marriage, and having kids due to the excess stress they face in life, including high cost of living, high working hours, low income, and high unemployment rate.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhuiyan |first=Samiul |date=2022-09-05 |title=THE SAMPO GENERATION OF SOUTH KOREA |url=https://medium.com/@samiulbhuiyan89/the-sampo-generation-of-south-korea-81b7dce2ba46 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Medium |archive-date=April 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423191344/https://medium.com/@samiulbhuiyan89/the-sampo-generation-of-south-korea-81b7dce2ba46 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The term evolved into Opo generation (Five giving-up generation), Chilpo generation (Seven giving-up generation), Gupo generation (Nine giving-up generation), and N-po generation, which is people giving up on more things, including employment, home ownership, interpersonal relationships, hope, health, physical appearance, and eventually life.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}
=== Freeter === Freeter is a term used in Japan to describe a person aged 15 to 34 who is unemployed, underemployed, or otherwise lacks full-time paid employment. The term excludes homemakers and students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Freeter in Japan: between freedom and precariousness |url=https://www.japan-experience.com/preparer-voyage/savoir/comprendre-le-japon/les-freeters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250615184730/https://www.japan-experience.com/preparer-voyage/savoir/comprendre-le-japon/les-freeters |archive-date=June 15, 2025 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=Japan Experience |url-status=live}}</ref>
Freeter have become a culture in Japan where they accommodate low-waged and marginalized workers to live and enjoy basic activities of life. The culture is evident in Koenji, Tokyo, where there are second-hand shops and recycled objects, and bars with low, affordable prices in the area, reflecting an alternative way of living.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Freeters |url=https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/freeters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614225741/https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/freeters |archive-date=June 14, 2024 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Japan Experience}}</ref>
=== NEET === NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) is a term describing a state where a person is unemployed and not receiving an education or vocational training. The classification originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1990s. Its use has spread, in varying degrees, to other countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, Serbia, Canada, and the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Dell |first=Hope |date=2024-02-15 |title=1 in 5 Young People Around the World are NEETs. What Does That Mean? |url=https://globalaffairs.org/commentary-and-analysis/blogs/why-youth-neets-rise-worldwide-mental-health-cost-of-living |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250805024004/https://globalaffairs.org/commentary-and-analysis/blogs/why-youth-neets-rise-worldwide-mental-health-cost-of-living |archive-date=August 5, 2025 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=globalaffairs.org}}</ref>
== See also == * ''Hikikomori'' *Satori generation * ''Wu wei'' * Turn on, tune in, drop out * Sanhe Gods * Hell Joseon
==References== <references> <ref name=NYTChen>{{cite news|title=These Chinese Millennials Are 'Chilling,' and Beijing Isn't Happy|quote=Young people in China have set off a nascent counterculture movement that involves lying down and doing as little as possible.|author=Elsie Chen|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 3, 2021|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/03/world/asia/china-slackers-tangping.html|archive-date=October 17, 2023|access-date=July 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017120238/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/03/world/asia/china-slackers-tangping.html|url-status=live}}</ref> </references>
==Further reading== *{{cite news|title=China Youth 'Lie Flat' as Good Life Seems Unattainable|publisher=Voice of America|date=June 15, 2021|author1=Kelly Tang |author2=Lin Yang |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/east-asia-pacific_china-youth-lie-flat-good-life-seems-unattainable/6207063.html}} *{{cite news|publisher=Agence France-Presse|via=France24|title=China's disenchanted youth 'lie flat' to cope with modern life|date=June 3, 2021|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210603-china-s-disenchanted-youth-lie-flat-to-cope-with-modern-life}} *{{cite news|title=Beyond 'Rising Tides' and 'Lying Flat': Emergent Cultural Practices Among Youth in Urban China.|journal=CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture|date=March 1, 2022|author1=Gullotta, Diego |author2=Lin, Lili |volume=24 |doi=10.7771/1481-4374.4292 |url=https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.4292}}
{{Generation|state=collapsed}} {{Young adult development}} {{China topics}} {{Critique of work|state=collapsed}} {{Workplace|state=collapsed}}
Category:2021 in China Category:Counterculture of the 2020s Category:Criticism of work Category:Employment in China Category:Social issues in China Category:2021 neologisms Category:Chinese youth culture Category:Human positions Category:Economic history of the People's Republic of China