Young Chinese are leaving the city to retire in the countryside as China's unemployment crisis intensifies.

• Young people on the mainland are leaving the cities to find work in the countryside due to their frustration with China's employment situation.
• The Chinese economy's struggles have made job hunting particularly challenging for young people, according to Chung Chi Nien, chair professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Young people on the mainland are leaving the cities to find work in the countryside due to their frustration with China's employment situation.

Young adults born in the 90s and 00s, who identify as "retirees" after losing their jobs or choosing to quit, are increasingly sharing their rural daily lives on social media. These self-proclaimed "retirees" document their journeys online as they take extended career breaks or remain unemployed.

In Guizhou province, China, a 22-year-old individual known as Wenzi Dada resided in a bamboo shack on the edge of a cliff last year. Wenzi, who had worked in various fields such as auto repair, construction, and manufacturing, decided to retire due to his daily interactions with machines. Despite attempting to find employment in his hometown, he was never content with the available options.

"As time passes, I ponder the significance of life. While the city's prosperity is a form of beauty, the peacefulness of the countryside is also a kind of beauty," he wrote in his Douyin profile, as translated by CNBC. Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, is owned by ByteDance.

Wenzi, who resides in the mountains, shares his cooking, gardening, and hut maintenance experiences on his Douyin account through videos.

The Chinese economy's struggles have made job hunting particularly challenging for young people, according to Chung Chi Nien, chair professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

This year, 11.8 million college graduates entered the job market, increasing competition and causing a "devaluation" of college degrees, according to a professor. This has made it harder for individuals with fewer qualifications and experience to secure employment.

In August, China's youth unemployment rate reached a new high of 18.8%, surpassing the previous record of 17.1% in July. This rise in unemployment coincided with a series of negative economic indicators in China, including weak domestic demand and a decline in the housing market, as the world's second-largest economy continues to struggle.

According to Chung, it is not surprising that young people are opting for rural living as it is increasingly difficult to secure a job, particularly a good one, in urban areas.

Retreat destinations in provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan are popular because the cost of living there is a quarter of that in Shanghai.

Not their ideal jobs

High value-added services sectors, particularly real estate and finance, have seen a sharp contraction in the past three years, according to Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank China. While there are lower-paying jobs available in cities such as delivery or ride hailing, educated young people do not want them and would rather sit on the sidelines, said Wang.

Although there are jobs in the manufacturing sector, young people are not interested in these roles, according to Keyu Jin, an associate professor of economics at the London School of Economics.

She said, "They'd rather stay at home with their parents and wait for a better job."

China's young "retirees" have countered criticism that they are too selective or have surrendered.

Wenzi, a 22-year-old, stated in a post uploaded in April that this action is not referred to as lying down, but rather as preparing for retirement in advance to ensure a comfortable old age in the future.

In his videos, he shared how other villagers have criticized his way of life and contrasted it with that of his peers who are gainfully employed.

Wenzi claimed that young people must work outside.

Wang, a representative from Hang Seng Bank China, acknowledged that such accusations, though unjustified, are comprehensible within the cultural and contextual framework of Chinese society.

According to the economist, Chinese people often criticize those who receive higher education because they believe that it is necessary to utilize it and work diligently, and education is typically the largest investment a family makes aside from housing.

Many young people in the countryside have some income and are turning to e-commerce or social media influencing.

Youth nursing homes?

Reports of "youth nursing homes" are on the rise, as other establishments have started to address the unemployment trend by catering to it.

According to one youth nursing home founder, these facilities are marketed as places for young individuals to relax and "rest" at any time they desire, typically excluding visitors over the age of 45.

According to CNBC, although some experts believe the trend could be a marketing ploy, the growing popularity among Gen Z and millennials reflects their collective sense of distress and desire for a slower-paced lifestyle.

Jia Miao, an assistant professor at NYU Shanghai, stated that young people experiencing high stress or a sense of desperation are seeking places to reflect and potentially reset their lives, which is driving the need for 'junior nursing homes'. She added that it's positive that the market is diversifying to meet the needs of these young individuals who are hoping for a space to breathe and recover.

How long will the wave of "retirements" and "nursing home" trips continue?

Young Chinese may not remain in rural China for an extended period of time, as it does not provide the modern, middle-class lifestyle they desire, as well as high-quality medical care and education, according to Wang.

"Reverse migration is unlikely to be a long-term trend, as it is only transitory. The ultimate goal for those kids is still to return to the city in the long run," she stated.