“I’m continuing to get rid of the negative energy in my life. I think 2022 will be an upgrade on 2021, but I still don’t want to do anything. I will continue to ‘lie flat’. I enjoy this state.”

When Jeff (not his real name), left his home city of Hangzhou, for a highly-paid job as an app developer in Beijing several years ago, like many young Chinese professionals, work became his life.

The little spare time he had outside work, he spent playing what he describes as “mindless” computer games. He didn’t develop a social circle in his new adopted city and eventually gave up trying.

The idea of ‘lying flat’, or tang ping in Chinese, means taking a break from relentless work. The tang ping movement took off during 2021 as many felt they were coming under increasing pressure to work even harder and out perform their peers.