A job advertisement by Chinese farm owner Zuo Xiaoyong for two shepherds in remote grasslands south of Mongolia has gone viral, attracting more than 700 applicants and exposing growing pressure in China’s labour market. The post, shared on Weibo in late April, generated about 59 million views within hours and sparked over 21,000 discussion threads.
Applicants included white-collar workers from major cities such as Shanghai and Chongqing, factory employees, and recent university graduates. Zuo said he was surprised by the response, noting that many applicants were either fresh graduates, workers under financial pressure, or people frustrated with long working hours and workplace stress While China’s official unemployment rate remains slightly above 5%, analysts say underemployment and weak private-sector wage growth are worsening the situation. Concerns over intense work culture and a record 12.7 million graduates entering the labour market this year are expected to further increase job competition.
