Not-So-Quiet Quitting: ‘Resignation Parties’ Celebrate the End of Hustling

After apathetic graduation photoshoots, a new phenomenon has surfaced on Chinese social media: resignation parties.


Users have taken to lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu to share pictures of themselves celebrating career developments — not offers from prestigious companies, but instead departures from them.


“Thanks to my friends who organized this. From now on I’ll embrace freedom and see the world!” writes one user.


quiet quitting


Hashtags like ‘quitting,’ ‘jobless diaries,’ and ‘resignation party’ have racked up million of views on the platform, with content ranging from heartfelt vlogs to ridiculous party snapshots.


‘Resignation party’ (离职派对 lizhi paidui) staples include: giant red and yellow banners (so popular they are now available on e-commerce platform Pinduoduo for just a few bucks), life-size posters of the lucky resignee, cake, flowers, and pageant-style sashes for women.


quiet quitting china


Many of these elements feature ‘tacky’ aesthetics that harken back to the nearly-forgotten past of optimistic corporate culture in China, where receiving employment at a major company meant a banquet-style celebration with red and yellow banners.


Additionally, the bright colors and bold lettering are reminiscent of coconut milk brand Coconut Palm, which established the branding decades ago, and is notorious for its use of full-chested women in advertisements.


These throwback aesthetics speak to a nostalgia amongst Chinese millennials and Gen-Z for the wholesome world which was promised to them as children.


resignation party

Examples of vertical banners featuring Coconut Palm’s signature color palette and design style


The trend has become so widespread that even legendary hotpot chain Haidilao is getting in on the action, now offering a ‘resignation party package.’


The package includes the necessary tongue-in-cheek resignation-themed banners and a special song from the staff, in a similar fashion to the chain’s famous birthday service.


haidilao resignation party

Haidilao’s resignation package makes quitting easy


Interestingly, many resignees seem to be quitting large tech companies like ByteDance, Shein and even Xiaohongshu itself, once considered extremely appealing by young workers because of their dynamic environment and competitive salaries.


The ‘resignation party’ trend follows a wave of similar anti-hustle culture phenomena: from the recent trend of sarcastic graduation photoshoots, to Gen-Z opting for low-paying professions that were once considered shameful, but now represent valid, hassle-free options.


Record-high youth unemployment in 2023 and the extremely stressful working culture known as 996 are just two of the factors contributing to the shifting mentality of young Chinese workers.


At the same time, alternative approaches such as minimalist and ‘digital nomad’ lifestyles are taking hold in the country. And for those who are not willing to give up on a stable profession or a fully-furnished apartment, moving to a third or fourth-tier city is becoming an increasingly appealing option.


All images via Xiaohongshu

Check Out the Trailer for Asian-American Romance ‘Love in Taipei’

If you’re Chinese-American, you may have either experienced or heard about the legendary Love Boat. If you haven’t, you might still want to tune in to Paramount’s new movie, Love in Taipei, premiering on August 10.

‘Love Boat’ is the nickname for a longstanding exchange program designed to teach diaspora kids more about Chinese language and culture. The program’s full name is ‘Overseas Compatriot Youth Taiwan Study Tour’ — but it got its nickname due to its practical reputation as a bit of a hookup summer camp.


The beauty and romance of the study tour were channeled by Chinese-American writer Abigail Hing Wen in her bestselling novel, Loveboat, Taipei. Initially published in 2020, the novel was followed by two more in 2022 and 2023. It follows the journey of self-discovery, both romantically and culturally, of a Chinese-American teenage girl named Ever Wong.

The Paramount+ adaptation follows the love triangle in the book and stars Ashley Liao as Ever, Ross Butler as Rick, and Nico Hiraga as Xavier.


In recent years, Hollywood has witnessed a surge of movies portraying Asian-American stories, showcasing unprecedented diversity in genres and formats.


From blockbusters like Crazy Rich Asians, Marvel’s Shang-Chi, and Disney’s Mulan, to animated films like Pixar’s Turning Red, and even indie masterpieces like Everything Everywhere All at Once, the popularity of Asian-American narratives has also extended to TV series, with recent hits like Netflix’s Beef, and modern-day fantasy American Born Chinese.


However, not all of these films and series have been equally appreciated by Chinese audiences, with much of the disparity stemming from differences between the Chinese and Chinese-American cultural experiences. Given its unique subject matter, there’s hope that Love in Taipei may be one of the rare exceptions to bridge the divide.


Cover image via Paramount+

TFBoys Reunion Breaks Internet, Reveals Ticket-Selling Failures

As the much-anticipated TFBoys 10-year reunion draws near, devoted fans are voicing their frustration over the ticket-buying process.


On July 24, “TFBoys concert tickets on sale” trended on Weibo, with over 4 million fans eagerly waiting for the release on ticketing platforms. However, the harsh reality was that only around 3,300 tickets were available, translating to a mere 0.008% chance of success – almost as selective as the civil service exam.


The hashtag “4 million people trying to get tickets” quickly gained traction, reflecting collective disappointment and anger that’s been growing around ticket-vending platforms in general.

Longtime TFBoys fans will remember the group’s original, squeaky-clean image


Despite official efforts to mitigate ticket shortages, the outcome was still discouraging. Waves of fansite administrators, die-hard fans, and even scalpers reported their failure to obtain a ticket. Consequently, “TFBOYS fansite admin annihilation” took the top spot on Weibo’s trending list, as fans wondered who would capture moments of the beloved TFBoys, if fan community leaders were unable to enter the arena.


“Even the fansite admin doesn’t have a ticket,” reads one popular post. “The problem is, who’s going to take pictures if fansite admins can’t even get in…”


“Ten years of fans’ love can’t even earn the chance to buy a ticket,” another heartbroken fan posted.


Hoping for a better chance at a ticket, some fans turned to scalpers. For grandstand tickets with a face value of 580 or 800 RMB, add an extra 4,000 — and for tickets that cost 2,000 RMB, add an extra 7,000.


This scarcity of concert tickets has become a recurring issue in recent times, with Jay Chou’s concert in Tianjin experiencing a similar problem just last week. Fans expressed frustration and disappointment with domestic ticketing platforms such as Maoyan and Daimai, and with time slots that intensify competition among tens of thousands of eager fans. The process has raised concerns about the efficacy of ticket-vending platforms, and their ability to accommodate the overwhelming demand.


“The two platforms [Maoyan and Damai] divided up their tickets into eight time slots, forcing us to buy tickets in competition with millions of people each time…the lives of fans are still lives,” one Jay Chou fan complained.


Cover image via Weibo

Gen-Z is Choosing Stuffed IKEA Monkeys Instead of Having Children

Young people in China are having fewer and fewer babies, and as a result, the country is experiencing its first population decline in six decades. But then what’s with all the parenting tips flooding Instagram-like app Xiaohongshu?


The answer is simple: all the ‘babies’ in question are $19.99 stuffed monkeys from IKEA.


stuffed monkey in the backseat of a car

A ‘monkey son’ buckled into the backseat of a car


“Ever since we got this monkey, wherever my husband goes, the monkey goes, too,” one post reads, “He even gets his own seat in the car.”


Many monkey parents go even further — posting edited ultrasounds with their monkeys, dressing them in baby clothes, taking them on vacation, hosting playdates, or even throwing birthday parties.


an ultrasound featuring a stuffed monkey

“How mother misses when she was pregnant with you,” reads one post


Since the IKEA monkey began trending, in June, the related Xiaohongshu tag (#宜家猩猩) has garnered over 11 million views, and the top posts have tens of thousands of likes each.


“It’s late at night, and my monkey is still playing on his phone,” one user posted. “Does he prefer Huawei or Apple?” asked a commenter.


Another post shows a monkey about to eat a plate of spaghetti, accompanied by the caption: “I brought my monkey son to eat dinner, and he insisted on taking a selfie.”


a stuffed monkey eating a plate of spaghetti

A monkey child sitting down for dinner


The trend is both something of an inside joke, as well as a statement about the difficulties of having children in today’s China. Urban 20- and 30-somethings are generally embracing being single and childless — at the same time, they worry about eventually starting a family, in an economy that’s hampered by rising living costs, long working hours (such as ‘996’), and high unemployment rates. Last year, China’s birth rate dropped to a record low of 6.77 births per 1,000 people, far below the world average.


Stuffed animals, then, are satisfying a certain desire for companionship, just as traditional pets do. The pet economy has exploded in the last decade — between 2010 and 2016, pets were the fastest-growing consumer good in China. Pet owners also skew younger, with nearly 50% of all pet owners in the country being born after 1990.


a popular meme about raising monkey children

A popular meme among stuffed monkey parents


“Who’s going to take care of you when you’re old, if you don’t have children?” reads a popular meme.


“My monkey child,” it answers.


Though it’s not necessarily meant to be taken seriously, the meme — and the general passion for stuffed monkeys — may be a symbol of younger generations’ nihilistic approach to the future. Especially because it comes on the heels of the ‘lying flat’ and ‘let it rot’ movements, which also involve young people giving up on traditional expectations.


All images via Xiaohongshu

Jian Shou Qing: The Magic Mushrooms Janet Yellen Ate in China

In a curious turn of events, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen found herself immersed in an unexpected — and potentially psychedelic — culinary experience involving magic mushrooms during her visit to China.


A mushroom fan, Yellen ordered four portions of jian shou qing after landing in Yunnan. If not cooked properly, the mushroom can have hallucinogenic effects — turning her simple dinner into a mind-altering, mystic experience.


Jian shou qing (见手青) literally means “see hand blue.” After cutting or handling the mushroom, its thick stem quickly turns from yellow into a dark, grayish-blue as a result of pressure and oxidation.


‘Lanmaoa asiatica’ aka jian shou qing. Image via Mycocosm


The mushroom grows in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, famous for its diversity of ethnic minority groups as well as for the variety of wild mushrooms that grow in the mountains.


So what causes the hallucinations? Actually, experts aren’t sure, but it doesn’t seem to be psilocybin, the active ingredient in most recreational magic mushrooms.


“I have a friend who mistakenly ate them and hallucinated for three days,” a professor at the Kunming Institute of Botany told CNN.


“Our staff said she really loved mushrooms,” the restaurant wrote on social media. “It was an extremely magical day.”


To better understand the questions behind Yellen’s mushroom escapade, look no further than the videos of jian shou qing-induced hallucinations on social media.


Social media users encountering jian shou qing hallucinations. Images via Xiaohongshu


In one post, a young woman sits on a bed, waving her hands in the air. She looks quite normal, as she describes people emerging before her eyes, and disappearing as she gently wipes them away with her hands.


“This makes me want to have a taste,” writes one commenter.


Another asks, “Is it possible that what you’re seeing really exists, but we can’t see it in our ordinary waking state?”


“Please don’t try it yourself — what you see here is just a mild symptom,” warns a commenter on a similar post.


Meanwhile, the Yunnan restaurant where the incident occurred has quickly capitalized on its newfound notoriety. On their official WeChat account, they called Yellen “God of Wealth” (a real figure in Taoism and Chinese folk religion), and released a new “God of Wealth” set meal, made up of the dishes Yellen ordered.


Despite political tension surrounding Janet Yellen’s trip to China, the general Chinese public were amused at the idea of a foreign dignitary sampling their unique cuisine…and potentially tripping balls.


Cover images via Weibo

62-Year-Old Fei Xiang Simmers in ‘Creation of the Gods’

In the landscape of Chinese entertainment, few stars shine as brightly as Fei Xiang. Known in the Western world as Kris Phillips, the Taiwanese-American pop sensation is back in the limelight in China — this time as the villainous King Zhou in Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms.

Fei Xiang exploded onto the scene in 1987, when he became the first foreigner to perform on CCTV’s famous Spring Festival Gala. He wore a dazzling red jacket, gyrating his hips across the stage and dancing with an unprecedented charisma in a China that was still shaking off the effects of the Cultural Revolution.


His magnetic stage presence was undeniable. In that moment, he was transformed into an early pop icon and sex symbol, carving out a special space for himself in the hearts of countless fans.


In the three years that followed, Fei Xiang released five albums in mainland China, and in 1989 alone, performed over 60 live concerts there. Decades later, his name still holds a certain magic, especially for the generation that grew up in the grip of Fei Xiang fever.

Now, that enduring charm is coming to the realm of high fantasy in Creation of the Gods.


Based on the 16th-century Chinese fantasy novel Investiture of the Gods, the first installment of the Fengshen trilogy portrays an era of legendary battles between humans, immortals, and monsters. Set more than three thousand years in the past, the film is part of an ongoing zeitgeist in China of films and TV which channel ancient Chinese literary and historical motifs.


The film, which premiered on July 20th, is off to a rocketing start, having already drawn in more than 500 million RMB at the domestic box office.


This isn’t the first time Fei Xiang has suddenly re-appeared in the spotlight. In 2012, he made a surprise appearance as the chief villain in the fantasy epic Painted Skin: The Resurrection. He appeared on the red carpet at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, while the film went on to break China’s domestic box office records.


In 2016, he made another appearance, this time co-starring alongside superstar actress Gong Li in the Monkey King 2. The film was another hit, earning over $185 million at the Chinese box office.



Creation of the Gods is helmed by director Wuershan, the same mind behind Fei Painted Skin: The Resurrection. In an interview with GQ, Fei Xiang said he was “dumbfoundead” when he got the offer for the main villain King Zhou.


“I thought it would just be a cameo,” he said. “I told [Wuershan], I can play any role you want, and I’m willing to play any role. I’m in, regardless.”


“Villains are very attractive to me, and they’re quite challenging,” he added. “I accepted the role immediately.”


Perhaps Fei Xiang’s newfound sense of villainous intrigue is fueled by an inherent contrast with the youthful, red-clad pop star version of himself. But those who knew him growing up will always see Fei Xiang through rose-tinted glasses — and to get straight to the point, the man has aged like fine wine.



And when it came to King Zhou’s steamy bathing scene, online commenters couldn’t contain their excitement.


“But he’s really very sexy,” writes one.


“My mom’s Adonis,” admits another.


“My mom’s idol is 62 and ripped, while mine is 32 and in jail,” lamented a third, jokingly referring to fallen pop star Kris Wu.


Fei Xiang himself laughed about the scene, but also described its importance.


“When I was young I never took off my clothes,” he said. “Now I’m 60 and I have to take off my clothes!”


“I could have said no, never, because X, Y, Z,” he added. “But I just said, okay, let’s do it.”


Preparing for the role involved hours and hours of training — not just horseriding and martial arts, but serious bodybuilding. For Fei Xiang, all of these felt necessary.


“King Zhou is a general, having fought for many years,” he said. “Strength and the shape of his body are important to the credibility of the role.”


Ask any Chinese Gen-Z or millennial’s mom, and she’s sure to agree.


Images via Weibo. Additional reporting by Margaret Sun.