What I Learned in ‘Dalifornia,’ China’s Laid-Back Capital of Doing Nothing

A facts-only brief, written by a local AI model from this article in The Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2026. It may contain mistakes, and it is not the article: the full story is at wsj.com.

Dali, China, has emerged as a destination for young workers adopting the “lie flat” lifestyle, though many residents now express a desire to return to employment. Individuals interviewed in the city cited a weak job market and a disconnect between available positions and their career preferences as barriers to re-entering the workforce. China’s intelligence agency previously warned against this trend, attributing it to foreign hostile forces attempting to induce idleness among the youth.

Background

• The urban unemployment rate for 16-to-24-year-olds in China stands at approximately 18%, while the rate for the 25-to-29 age group is roughly 7%.
• Nearly 13 million individuals graduated from college in China this year, contributing to a competitive labor market where even major companies are conducting layoffs.
• Some hiring managers have criticized young job seekers for being lazy or overly selective, while others point to a shortage of workers for manufacturing and engineering roles.
• The Chinese government is promoting employment through vocational training, hiring subsidies for recent graduates, and the development of new roles in the artificial intelligence sector.

Read the full article at wsj.com

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