2025年10月23日
The Chinese dream once followed a simple formula: move to a big city, work hard, and buy a home. That model, once a reliable engine of progress in China, is breaking down after the collapse of the housing market in 2021, which set off an ongoing economic downturn.
曾经的中国梦遵循着一个简单模式:迁往大城市、努力工作、买房安家。这个模式一度是发展可靠的引擎,但在2021年房地产市场崩盘引发持续经济下行后,它正逐渐瓦解。
Today, many workers are opting out of the old system and finding new careers in China’s digital gig economy — and in the process, redefining what work looks like.
如今,许多劳动者正脱离旧有体系,在中国的数字零工经济中开辟新职业,并在这一过程中重新定义工作的形态。
The New York Times profiled some of these workers: a mother helping people navigate China’s bureaucratic hospital system; a lifestyle influencer who drives from city to city scouting the most affordable places to live; and a former retail manager who quit her office job to become a licensed electrician.
《纽约时报》报道了其中几位劳动者的故事:一位帮助他人应对中国公立医院繁琐流程的母亲;一位驾车穿梭于各城市、寻找性价比最高的宜居之地的生活方式博主;还有一位辞去办公室工作、成为持证电工的前零售经理。
Their stories reflect some of the larger forces reshaping China’s economy. Across the country, young people are struggling to find the kind of lucrative office jobs that were once common after college, and some are rejecting the pressure to pursue prosperity at all costs, and instead choosing to do as little as possible. Meanwhile, China’s population is growing older, and blue-collar jobs are becoming increasingly attractive.
他们的经历折射出重塑中国经济的几大深层力量。在全国范围内,年轻人难以找到昔日大学毕业后常见的高薪办公室工作,部分人摒弃了不惜一切代价追求成功的压力,选择做最低限度的工作。与此同时,中国人口老龄化加剧,蓝领工作正日益受到青睐。
These shifts are playing out in surprising ways because of the Chinese internet. With a smartphone and social media, workers across the country are tapping into online trends and investing in themselves, creating a new generation of digital entrepreneurs who are making money and building careers on their own terms.
这些转变正通过中国的互联网,以令人意外的方式展开。借助智能手机和社交媒体,各地劳动者紧跟网络潮流,进行自我投资,催生了新一代数字创业者——他们按自己的方式赚钱谋生、构建职业道路。
Jessica Wang: Hospital Companion
杰西卡·王(音):医院陪诊员
As China’s aging population navigates a complex public hospital system, a new industry of gig workers is stepping in to help.
随着中国老年人口艰难地应对复杂的公立医院体系,一个新兴的零工服务行业应运而生,为他们提供协助。
Tom Jia: ‘Lying Flat’ Influencer
汤姆·贾(音):“躺平”博主
For many young Chinese, the relentless pressure to succeed has given way to a new philosophy: “lying flat,” or doing the bare minimum.
对许多中国年轻人而言,无情的成功压力让位于新的生活理念:“躺平”,也就是只做维持基本生活所需的最低工作。
Ray Hou: Electrician at ‘Repair Sisters’
雷·侯(音):“强记女工”电工
An all-female repair business is challenging gender norms and catering to a growing population of single Chinese women seeking safety and comfort at home.
一家全女性维修机构正在挑战性别规范,满足日益增长的中国单身女性群体对居家安全与舒适的需求。