China's "Bed Rotting" and "Lying Flat" Phenomenon: Understanding the Rise of the "Low-Energy Rat People" Amidst Societal Pressures

Wonny

Summary:

In China, a growing cultural movement dubbed "bed rotting" or "lying flat" describes a lifestyle of minimal effort, spending days in bed, ordering takeout, and avoiding traditional societal pressures.

• This trend, popularized on platforms like Douyin, involves individuals identifying as "rat people" (lǎoshǔ rén) who embrace a low-energy existence, often staying indoors, doom-scrolling, and minimizing social interaction.
• The "lying flat" (tǎngpíng) philosophy emerged as a rejection of China's demanding "996" work culture (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week) and traditional expectations like marriage and homeownership.

  

• Despite government attempts to censor "lying flat" content, the sentiment evolved into new forms like "rat people" vlogs, even leading to brand collaborations and merchandise.
• The "Chongqing Bachelor Brothers" took the "lying flat" concept offline, forming a communal lodge in rural areas, but their collective, anti-establishment message was quickly shut down by authorities.
• The movement's pioneer, "Kind Traveler," articulated a philosophy of minimal consumption and sporadic work (e.g., as a film extra), viewing "lying flat" as an intellectual exercise and a "sick leave from desires," reflecting deep-seated frustration with societal demands and economic pressures like high youth unemployment.

The Emergence of the "Low-Energy Rat People" [00:00:00]

The video introduces a growing trend in China where individuals embrace a "low-energy" lifestyle, often referred to as "bed rotting" or identifying as "rat people" (lǎoshǔ rén). This trend, prevalent on platforms like Douyin, involves:

• Characteristics of the Lifestyle - Waking up around noon and staying in bed for extended periods.

  

  - Ordering all meals via delivery. - Spending hours doom-scrolling on phones in dim light.

  

  - Lacking ambition or external plans, akin to "NPC hibernation." - Purposely self-deprecating aesthetic that resonates with many viewers.

• Origin of the Trend [00:00:35] - A young creator from Jiangsu posted a viral vlog showcasing her routine of waking at noon, staying in bed, ordering food, and working remotely on "ultra-low power saving mode," avoiding unnecessary communication. - Her motto, "We don't live to leave a deep impression on others. We just need to live comfortably," resonated widely.

  

• Competitive Laziness and Commercialization [00:01:48] - The trend escalated into "competitive laziness," where participants boast about the minimal effort they exert (e.g., only getting up once a day).

  

  - The movement gained commercial traction with merch, plushies, and even skincare and lifestyle brands collaborating with influencers for "low-energy home-body vlogs."

  

  

  

  - The trend extended to couples embracing the lifestyle.

  

  - Comments online expressed sentiment against traditional life choices like marriage, highlighting the appeal of the low-energy lifestyle.

  

  - Many viewers expressed aspirations to adopt this lifestyle. - The general aesthetic is self-deprecating but resonates deeply, indicating widespread fatigue with hyper-productive ideals.

The "Lying Flat" (Tangping) Movement and Government Reaction [00:03:34]

The "low-energy rat people" phenomenon evolved from an earlier movement called "lying flat" (tǎngpíng), which carried a more direct ideological stance.

• Rejection of "996" Culture [00:03:41] - "Lying flat" emerged as a counter-culture response to China's intense "996" work culture (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week), where individuals were expected to grind constantly.

  

  

  - The philosophy advocated doing the bare minimum to stay sane, rejecting traditional societal pressures like marriage and homeownership.

• Government Censorship and Youth Unemployment [00:03:59] - Chinese authorities were not amused by "lying flat" and censored related content, urging young people to work hard.

  

  - This pushback indicates the government's concern over the trend impacting national productivity and traditional values, but censoring the term did not censor the feeling, leading to new forms like "rat people."

  

  - The prevalence of these low-energy vlogs demonstrates a widespread cultural shift.

  

  

  - The rise of these movements is deeply intertwined with a challenging job market, highlighted by the mainland youth unemployment rate hitting new highs (e.g., 21.3% in June). This economic reality fuels the feeling of powerlessness that "lying flat" addresses.

  

The "Chongqing Bachelor Brothers" and Collective Disobedience [00:04:41]

The "lying flat" ideology found an organized, public expression through the "Chongqing Bachelor Brothers."

• Offline Lying Flat - This group of single men left city life for rural hills, forming a "bachelor lodge" where they lived communally.

  

  

  - Their lifestyle rejected mortgages, car loans, and marriage, focusing instead on simple living, eating, sleeping, and light farming for content.

  

  - They consciously portrayed an "extreme we lie down and do nothing" aesthetic, questioning why they should work for a system that doesn't benefit them.

  

  - Their defiant attitude resonated with many.

  

• Forced Disbandment [00:06:50] - Their public, organized display of "lying flat" was deemed a "stability risk" by authorities.

  

  - On May 15th, the Bachelor Lodge announced its shutdown due to "unspecified forced factors," understood to be government intervention.

  

  

  - This incident demonstrated how quickly expressions of laziness or disengagement can be perceived as a threat by state-controlled media, especially when organized and sending a collective message.

The Pioneer: "Kind Traveler" and the Philosophy of Lying Flat [00:07:34]

The video highlights "Kind Traveler" as the original pioneer of the "lying flat" philosophy, whose post "Lying Down is Justice" became foundational.

• Survival Strategy [00:07:55] - He confessed to not having a stable job for two years and feeling no guilt.

  

  - His survival strategy involved extremely low expenses (200 RMB/month, mainly for food: noodles, eggs, rice, vegetables).

  

  - He would work odd jobs for one to two months a year when savings ran low, then return to his "horizontal mode." - He even obtained an actor's license to get paid for lying around on film sets as an extra.

  

  

• Intellectual Justification [00:08:35] - "Kind Traveler" framed "lying flat" as an "intellectual exercise" and a way to elevate human subjectivity in a system that doesn't.

  

  - His philosophical outlook questioned human agency and the pursuit of meaningless excitement. - He observed busy people from his window, sometimes laughing at their rush to jobs they hate.

  

  - His most famous quote, "Lying flat is the sick leave I took from my desires," encapsulates the profound rejection of consumerism and societal expectations.

  

Broader Implications [00:09:19]

The video concludes by emphasizing that these trends are more than mere laziness; they represent a global cultural movement driven by economic pressures and a desire for self-preservation.

• It's a shared sentiment that "life is expensive, sleep is free," and many feel they are not "failing" but participating in a larger cultural shift.
• The movements reflect a deep-seated exhaustion with hyper-productive ideals and a longing for leisure and relaxation in an increasingly demanding world.