Greener pasture of a shepherd’s life lures Chinese workers penned in by ‘996’ jobs
A job advertisement for shepherds in Inner Mongolia went viral, attracting hundreds of applicants from diverse professional backgrounds. The trend reflects the growing dissatisfaction among Chinese workers with the intense '996' work culture in urban centers.
Why it matters
The story illustrates a significant shift in labor market trends in China, where urban professionals are increasingly seeking alternative, simpler lifestyles to escape high-pressure corporate environments.
When an Inner Mongolia farmer sought two herders to tend his 3,000 sheep, he was swamped with applicants including graduates, factory labourers and white-collar workers A Chinese farm owner’s recruitment drive for shepherds has ended in success after his job advert seeking people to work on his Inner Mongolia ranch went viral, drawing the attention of city dwellers struggling to find work and highlighting growing strains in China’s labour market. Zuo Xiaoyong posted an advert on Chinese social media in late April seeking two shepherds, preferably a couple, to take 3,000 sheep out to graze on a 2,000ha pasture in the summer. The shepherds would also undertake indoor feeding and cleaning during the winter when temperatures can drop below -30C at his ranch roughly 300km from Xilinhot city, near the Mongolian border. Continue reading...
The framing highlights the negative aspects of corporate labor culture ('996') and romanticizes the alternative lifestyle.
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