Out with the tide,
in with the wall
The Shenzhen Special Zone Daily publishes a report on Deng Xiaoping’s inspection tour of Shenzhen on March 26, 1992. (From Shenzhen Archives)
The fever of pursuing a secure job is in contrast to thirty years ago. When China was diving into the wave of reform and opening up, many people chose to venture into business, enjoying the rewards of commercial enterprises. We used to call it “Xiahai”, or translated as “jumping into the sea”. Thirty years later, people are discussing “Shangan”, or “landing ashore”, to describe the status of successfully passing the exams into the stable public sector.
In January 1992, Chinese former president Deng Xiaoping made a month-long Southern Tour, including cities such as Shenzhen, to support the reforms he had initiated, which would open up China’s economy and transform the nation into a major political and economic power.
Following Deng’s tour, the State Council revised and repealed more than 400 regulations and documents that constrained doing business, according to China Economic Weekly, backed by People's Daily.
Deng visited the Huanggang Port in Shenzhen and gazed across the water toward Hong Kong in January 19, 1992. (From the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily)
“In the 1990s, China was in an era of market opening, high growth, and expanding private opportunity. Leaving the system looked rational because the market rewarded initiative far more visibly than the state did,” said Wu.
In 1992, 120,000 civil servants resigned to enter the private sector, while more than 10 million civil servants were placed on unpaid leave, entering the world of commerce, which has become a very common trend across the country, according to Chinese media reports.
However, the tide has turned. Young people in China are not trying to jump into the sea, but trying to land safely on shore.
Wang Fan, a 31-year-old civil servant in Sichuan, southern China, now works in the financial department of a public institution.
She gave up an opportunity to stay at one of the Big Four accounting firms, but instead took the civil service exam twice to get a job in a government unit.
During her time working at the accounting firm, she frequently had to travel to client companies' cities, and often worked overtime until 9 pm.
“As a woman, I also have to consider childbirth and worry about my leave time,” added Wang.
During the pandemic, Wang works the most overtime as they need to take turns on duty and stay in isolation at a hotel. (Photo courtesy: Wang Fan)
“Now I usually go back home by 5:20pm every day, which allows me to take care of my child. I also rarely work overtime. My free time is entirely my own, allowing me to focus more of my energy on my family.” said Wang.
“I feel more secure because I work within the system, so unemployment shouldn’t be my concern.”
“Over the past thirty years, however, China has become a more mature and more regulated economy. The private sector is still crucial, but the era of easy expansion and rapid upward mobility has weakened”, said Wu.
“At the same time, the state has regained prestige as a provider of order, predictability, and social insurance. So the shift is really about historical context: when opportunity expands rapidly, people embrace risk; when uncertainty rises, they value security,” he said.