Young China is Glamping Til They Drop, But Why?
Too busy to check in on the RADII China website every day? We got you every Monday with a summary of all the freshest takes on China's youth culture in the last week:
- The camping trend has exploded among young Chinese people this last year. We dig into why.
- Bored of Bridgerton? Here's our summer picks of the Chinese dramas to watch on Netflix.
- Would you describe yourself as CHILL AS BUDDHA? Then this is the Chinese slang term for you.
Intrigued? Keep scrolling, my friend.
Why are Young Chinese People So Obsessed with Camping in 2021?
For years, conventional social activities in China have centered around shopping malls, restaurants, movie theaters, and KTVs. In post-Covid China, however, young people are tired of these traditional forms of socializing, and are gradually gravitating towards more adventurous experiences in their search for new forms of entertainment. In addition, with restrictions on traveling outside of the country, people are looking inwards but in a more creative fashion.
“Because of the pandemic, more and more young people are turning to domestic travel destinations,” says Dr. Han Shen, a professor at the Tourism Department at Fudan University in Shanghai.
But is the trend as transcendentalist as it sounds?
Shenwei, a travel blogger with over 10 million followers on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, believes the rising camping trend in China “has nothing to do with embracing nature,” but is, “just part of the wanghong culture.”
“A very small percentage of people I know online or offline who are talking about camping grasp the true spirit of it. Most people are just there to take photos,” says Shenwei.
Are young Chinese influenced by nature or unnatural influencers?
It's the month of July, which means it's time to turn on that AC, hit up Netflix, and stay in for a refrigerated time at home. Here's the five Chinese-language dramas we've been pretty into to get you through these hot, hot times.
Speaking of hot, looking for a sexy tune? Check out this remix of Rich Brian's "California" by Jackson Wang. The story behind why this song is steaming up your Youtube here.
- Say hello to the new star of Guangzhou City F.C., Su Yuliang, who is now the youngest and only African-born player on the squad.
- A handful of Chinese cities have just announced a ban on unvaccinated people entering public places.
- Xiaohongshu (aka Red or 小红书), one of China’s most popular social media and ecommerce platforms, has suspended its US listing plans. "Those who suit their actions to the time are wise," says one netizen.
- Modern Sky, arguably China’s largest independent record label, has launched its Big Band-style competition variety show (aka the TV version of Strawberry Music Festival).
Welcome to another episode of Slang Dynasty, where we unpack the wide world of Chinese regional slang, internet colloquialisms, and assorted street-level jargon.
This week, Wes Chen gives us the lowdown on how to be chill, with the word 佛系 (fóxì), which derives its meaning from Buddha (fó) and system (xì):
Are you a gifted meme maker? Or a storyteller crazy about Chinese youth culture? Take a look below, because we’re currently hiring for the following positions:
- Business Development Director
- Social Media Specialist
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