Resigning, Quitting Job Hunting... "Leaving Naturally" Among Chinese Youth

China's 'Temple Stay' Craze... 310% Increase
Burnout and Severe Youth Unemployment Are the Causes

Young people in China are leaving their jobs due to workplace stress and the burden of job hunting. There are concerns that the unemployment problem, which has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic, is negatively affecting the labor motivation of young people.

On the 11th (local time), the South China Morning Post (SCMP) highlighted the story of Lucy, a woman in her 20s who quit her job and sought refuge in a temple. After graduating from university, Lucy joined a giant e-commerce company in 2021 but suddenly resigned. Instead of a guaranteed future career, she chose to go to a temple in eastern China.

Lucy had made every effort to get a job at a large company since her university days. However, shortly after succeeding in employment, she experienced severe burnout and ultimately had no choice but to quit. Lucy told SCMP, "The COVID-19 pandemic has changed not only the economy but also our perspective on life."

Cases like Lucy’s are increasing in China. It is reported that not only office workers but also job seekers are unable to overcome extreme stress and are participating in temple stays.

Since easing COVID-19 prevention measures, China’s domestic economy has been gradually recovering, but the job market is still facing a cold wave. Young workers, in particular, are suffering from a severe shortage of jobs. China’s youth unemployment rate reached 17.5% at the end of last year and soared to 18.1% in the first two months of this year.

Chinese citizens visiting Buddhist temples to celebrate the New Year.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

As competition among young people for limited jobs intensifies, some have begun to withdraw from the labor market altogether. Many of them prefer to spend time staying at Buddhist or Taoist temples. According to the online travel service Trip.com, applications for temple stays in China this year have surged by 310% compared to last year, with the majority of demand coming from people in their 20s and 30s.

China experts are concerned that the shortage of jobs for young people in China not only causes a loss of labor motivation among the youth but will also have a negative impact on the national economy in the future.

The Chinese state media outlet Xin Jing Bao recently published a column stating, "Some young people are choosing the wrong path as a way to relieve pressure," and urged, "Young people should work harder rather than hope for luck."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.