Young Chinese are fighting against society through a simple act of resistance: lying down. Examples of the "tangping", or "lying flat", way of life (include) not getting married, not having children, and refusing to work extra hours or to hold a job at all. "I stay at home and sleep and watch television series." said Zhang, who described herself as "lying flat" for the last two weeks leaving her job in the film industry in Wuxi.
"Tangping" (emerge) over the last few months. Some compare them to the 1950s Beat Generation in the United States. (other) call their behavior a form of nonviolent resistance. "People realize there is no upward mobility," said Yicheng Wang, a PhD student in political science at Boston University. The term developed after April post on the Tieba forum, whose author, unemployed for the last two years, described a low-effort, low-cost lifestyle consisting of just a few months' work out of the year.
"Lying flat is my movement," he (write), referring to the Greek philosopher Diogenes, who was known for living in a large container. He posted a picture of himself lying in bed in the middle of the day with the curtains (draw).
But as "tangping" gained (popular), it also brought a level of dishonor. Nanfang Daily called the philosophy "shameful". Global Times made light of it describing "lying flat" as "not a serious philosophy".
For Zhang in Wuxi, lying flat is not about giving up or withdrawing from society. "Many people want to lie down because 996 is too (tire)," she said, referring to the constant hours common in tech industry, the staff are expected to work from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. , six days a week. The philosophy is also about giving oneself a break.
