# China's Digital Nomads Trade Mega-Cities for Backpacker Havens | Tech News (HT Tech) > Tired of punishing 72-hour weeks, tech-savvy Chinese are choosing to work remotely in regional towns. # China's Digital Nomads Trade Mega-Cities for Backpacker Havens ## Tired of punishing 72-hour weeks, tech-savvy Chinese are choosing to work remotely in regional towns. Sept 24 2022, 23:55 IST ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook.png) ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook-hover.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Share.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Shareclicked.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp-hover.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter-hover.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook-hover.png) ![Bookmark](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmark.png) ![Bookmarked](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmarked.png) ![Laptop](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2022/09/24/1600x900/student-849828_1920_1650961796164_1664041613844_1664041613844.jpg) As big tech firms such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. lay off thousands of staff. (Pixabay) ![Author Photo](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/HTTech-new-circle-logo.png) ### By BLOOMBERG After a hard day’s work, programmer Richard Hao powers down his laptop in a cafe overlooking Dali’s picturesque lake and drinks in the view. Like a growing number of digital nomads in China, he’s turned his back on big-city living and moved to the tourist hub in Yunnan province, famed for its snowcapped mountains, ancient temples and pagodas. “I’m working on a normal job with relatively fixed hours,” said Hao, who’s employed by a technology firm in Shenzhen, a city of more than 17 million people about 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) to the southeast. “It’s just that I don’t have to go to an office and I have some flexibility to do my own thing.” China is catching up with the global trend of tech-savvy workers choosing cheaper and prettier locations to base themselves — a lifestyle that’s gained traction since the Covid-19 pandemic prompted a rethink of work-life balance. Also read click here. The backdrop to digital nomadism in China, however, is unique. It offers a middle path between two quite extreme attitudes to work — the “996” culture prevalent in some tech firms of toiling 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week, and the protest culture of doing as little work as possible, known as “tang ping” or lying flat. Proponents like Daniel Ng, who runs a co-working space in Dali, believes a happy medium can help reduce a youth jobless rate that’s hovering around 20% as the economy slows. An influx of creative, entrepreneurial people that typically include livestreamers, vloggers, online teachers and tech support workers can also help local authorities revitalize towns depleted of tourists by the pandemic. But the future looks far from certain. As big tech firms such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. lay off thousands of staff, companies can be choosier about who they wish to keep and what perks they will offer. And then there’s government policies such as the household registration system that have limited mobility for some migrant workers. Digital nomadism will take on a “bigger part of the future of work,” said Rachael Woldoff, a professor of sociology at West Virginia University and co-author of “Digital Nomads: In Search of Freedom, Community and Meaningful Work in the New Economy.” “What is less clear to us is whether Chinese work culture is ready to adapt to this and how much Chinese workers would want to engage in it,” she said. Dali, a city of just over half a million, has long been known as a backpackers’ paradise, with a touristy Old Town where travelers can find cheap lodging, Western-style bars and southeast Asian cuisine. The area is famous for its natural beauty, with Erhai Lake to the east and the Cangshan Mountains to the west. About a 10-minute walk from Old Town is Dali Hub, a three-story white stucco building located in a quiet street that literally translates as “reclusive immortals.” Like many co-working places, it has a cafe, desks and space for events. The building, which has a rooftop with mountain views, offers accommodation for nomads and serves as a haven for like-minded people who want to work on their own terms. “People are really sick of the company culture in China like 996,” said co-founder Ng, who is originally from southeastern Fujian province and lived for several years in Malaysia. “Because of Covid, everyone is struggling, stuck in the cities” and people need the freedom to choose where they work and live, said Ng. “If you work in a cube, you don’t really have that kind of creativity.” While remote working has grown rapidly in countries such as the US, and seen nations including Argentina offer special visas to attract remote workers, it remains relatively unconventional in the world’s second-largest economy. Gartner Inc. predicts 31% of the global workforce will be remote this year, either fully or partly working away from their employers. It says the US will lead with 53%, while 28% of workers in China will be remote. There are several obstacles to being a digital nomad in China. Many workers still prefer the security of government employment, especially during times of economic distress. With an ongoing crackdown on private enterprise and the nation’s big tech companies, fresh college graduates are increasingly seeking jobs in the state sector despite the lower pay. There are practical considerations as well. While China’s household registration system, known as hukou, isn’t as much a restraint on mobility for nomads as it is for migrant workers, their itinerant status and self-employment could make it difficult to access the social welfare system that covers healthcare insurance and pensions. Still, co-working ventures are emerging in regional areas, partly due to improved internet access. About 28% of China’s web users were living in rural regions as of June, according to the China Internet Network Information Center, a government-backed body that provides research on the sector. In Anji, a town in eastern China’s Zhejiang province made famous by the bamboo forests featured in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” film, a government-backed hub offers co-working spaces and creative labs for nomads willing to live in harmony with the local tea growers. Jingdezhen, a city in China’s southeast Jiangxi province known for its porcelain making, also hosts a digital nomad hub. The local government there has worked with Tsinghua University’s institute for culture and creativity to develop village economies based on tourism. It’s part of a broader effort to make rural development a growth engine for the economy, in turn reducing the urban-rural divide and increasing self-reliance. The remote working culture benefits “location-independent professionals” and also companies, which can save on office rents and the higher salaries demanded by employees in big cities, according to Olga Hannonen, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland who studies the trend. It’s particularly well-suited to virtual influencers and livestreamers, she said. China’s livestreaming e-commerce market grew to 1.2 trillion yuan ($170 billion) in 2020, with influencers hawking wares from lipstick to smartphones in a Gen-Z version of the Home Shopping Network. Back in Dali, the sense of community among the nomads is all important. A co-working venture called DAO Space that opened in August in an old bed-sheet factory charges customers just 480 yuan a month. “Ideally we hope to build an self-sustained economy here,” said a former English tutor who identified himself as Glitch Boy, as he’s known in the local group of digital nomads. The space provides “an arena for people to exchange their resources and skills so that we can grow our little community.” Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel. 24 Sept, 23:55 IST china ![HT Tech Awards](https://tech.hindustantimes.com/ht-tech-power-list-awards-2026/httech-awards-banner-new.webp) ### Related Stories 29 Sept 2026 71,664,007,085,046 NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS ![View all](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/view-all-icon.png) ## Tips & Tricks ![Ghibli-style art](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2025/03/28/414x233/ChatGPT_Ghibli_style_images_1743161814450_1743161814596.jpg) ### How to turn your photos into Ghibli-style art with ChatGPT for free: Step-by-step guide ![How to create an invitation using iPhone’s new Apple Invites app- Step-by-step guide](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2025/02/14/414x233/invites_1738728829564_1739543695649.png) ### How to create an invitation using iPhone’s new Apple Invites app- Step-by-step guide ![Apple TV app arrives on Android phones and tablets: What you get and how to install it](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2025/02/13/414x233/unnamed_1739426557335_1739426567634.jpg) ### Apple TV app arrives on Android phones and tablets: What you get and how to install it ![Vodafone Idea OTT plans](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Vodafone Idea users can now stream 17 OTT apps with one subscription: Here's how ![Android data transfer methods](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### How to transfer data from one Android to another using Google backup, USB-C cable, and more ## Editor’s Pick ![iPhone 16e launched with A18 chip, Apple AI—bringing flagship power on a budget: Check specs, price](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iPhone 16e launched in India: All details about the new budget mobile from Apple ![DeepSeek was founded in China with only a fraction of the budget of the top AI companies in the US.](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### DeepSeek AI: How it works, who’s behind it, how it’s different from ChatGPT, and its big US market impact explained ![iPhone 17 Air likely to get this feature that iPhone 17 Pro models may miss out on](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iPhone 17 Air likely to get this feature that iPhone 17 Pro models may miss out on ![Google Whisk AI explained: How remixing works, availability, and how it differs from Gemini](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Google Whisk AI explained: How remixing works, availability, and how it differs from Gemini ![iOS 18.4 beta arriving soon: Know why it is the biggest iPhone update](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iOS 18.4 beta arriving soon: Know why it is the biggest iPhone update ## Trending Stories ![Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order ![Infinix Note 50s 5G+](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Infinix Note 50s 5G+ set to launch in India with 64MP camera and MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC ![Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more ![Apple Intelligence AI training](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Apple plans to train AI using your on-device data without accessing personal content or emails: Report ![CMF Buds 2](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### CMF Buds 2 key features and price revealed ahead of April 28 launch: Details inside keep up with tech ![Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-facebook.png) ![Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-twitter.png) ![WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-whatsApp.png) ![Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-facebook.png) ## Gaming ![Check out these five gaming monitors under ₹20,000,](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Top 5 gaming monitors under ₹20000 you should consider ![gaming consoles](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Grab gaming consoles at discounted rates during Amazon Great Indian Festival: Up to 72% off ![Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025 to bring Grimmsnarl family, Shiny Hatenna, and global challenges ![Shade Silver](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Shade Silver free on Steam for a limited time: Here’s how to get it ![Call of duty](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 skips Switch 2 at launch, release date and price leak ![View all](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/view-all-icon.png) ## Trending News ### Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order ![Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Infinix Note 50s 5G+ set to launch in India with 64MP camera and MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC ![Infinix Note 50s 5G+](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more ![Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Apple plans to train AI using your on-device data without accessing personal content or emails: Report ![Apple Intelligence AI training](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### CMF Buds 2 key features and price revealed ahead of April 28 launch: Details inside ![CMF Buds 2](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ## Trending Gadgets Mobiles Laptops Tablets ![HT Tech](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/HT_tech-new.gif) - https://tech.hindustantimes.com/tech/news/chinas-digital-nomads-trade-mega-cities-for-backpacker-havens-71664007085046.html