Dagong Ren (“working person/laborer”) became Chinese workers’ solidarity cry during pandemic hardships. Originally neutral term for wage laborers, it transformed into ironic self-identification embracing working-class identity amid 996 culture exhaustion.
Chinese social media exploded with Dagong Ren motivational posts: “Good morning, dagong ren!” “Dagong people, add oil!” The phrase mixed pride (honest labor), resignation (trapped in wage slavery), and humor (we’re all in this together).
Dagong Ren represented generational shift from hustle culture worship to acknowledging work’s toll. Young Chinese workers rejected “entrepreneur” fantasies, embracing ordinary worker identity with dignity and collective consciousness.
Sources:
- Sixthtone: “The Rise of China’s Dagong Ren” (2021)
- China Labour Bulletin: Worker Culture Studies (2020-2021)