Popular Media Representations of Farming

China’s lying-flat (tangping) movement, which first emerged in 2021, is as much a critical rejection of the historical ideology of diligence and the contemporary regime of hard work as it is a creative reimagination of work and rest. This article examines both the sociopolitical and artistic aspects of the lying-flat movement. First, it analyzes the use of body images by the movement to criticize toxic work cultures and vindicate workers’ right to rest. Then, it traces the ideological construction of diligence in China’s prolonged intellectual history to illuminate the obstacles facing the lying-flat generation in their attempt to change hustle culture. The demystification of diligence underlies the movement, as overworked youths refuse to keep making personal sacrifices for postponed rewards to benefit “the greater good.” The conclusion investigates three popular media representations of farming to demonstrate how labor is reimagined by the lying-flat generation. The fantasy of farming in rural lifestyle vlogs, farming fiction, and farming reality shows centers on immediate gratification and playfulness to constitute a creative space for China’s burned-out youths to escape and recover from hard work. The body at rest is thus conceptualized as a critical and creative force of life.