What Is ‘Lying Flat’, and Why Are Chinese Officials Standing up to It?

Li Is in Good Company, and Not Only in China, with an Ever Growing Number of Younger People Resenting the Idea of Struggling Against a Host of Economic Problems That Emerged During the Coronavirus Pandemic.

5 Issues, from Housing to Population, Likely to Mark Xi’s Fact-Finding Campaign

Pluto Mo, a Beijing Native in Her 20S, Is Living for Brief Spurts This Year in Various Cities as a Photographer’s Assistant and Receptionist for Hotels and Travel Agencies.

Security over Salary: Why China’s Graduates Are Vying for Civil Service Jobs

American Millennials and Generation Z Are Becoming Known for Their Focus on Social Media and “Innovative Technology”, the Sumus Study Said.

Is China’s Vocational Training Fit for Its Advanced Manufacturing Ambitions?

Lying Flat Reflects Young People’s Resistance to the Current Social and Economic System but Also Makes the Country Harder to Avoid the Middle-Income Trap, Chiu Added.

Chinese Are ‘Lying Flat’, Americans Are on Gap Year's as Pessimistic Youth Take a Hard Look at Traditional Jobs

By Sarah Jenkins

• Oct 8, 2026 • 10 min read

Chinese Are ‘Lying Flat’, Americans Are on Gap Year's as Pessimistic Youth Take a Hard Look at Traditional Jobs

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

He Plans to Live on 10,000 Yuan (Us$1,455) per Month Until He Turns 30, Instead of Pursuing a Higher Paying Job That Would Allow Him to Buy a Home and Start a Family.

Sarah Jenkins

Senior Technology Editor & AI Specialist

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.

Tags: chinese are lying flat americans are gap years pessimistic youth take hard look traditional jobs