The majority of the tenants are aged between 20 and 40, including freelancers, professionals experiencing career stagnation, and adventure seekers. It’s already fully booked for the month.
While there are no formal age restrictions at Guanye, the rules are different at another centre in Mandiu Ancient Village, Yunnan.
In an interview with Chinese news site Yitiao, its founder Lu Baike shared that they do not accept anyone over the age of 45. He explained that they “don’t socialise much”, and many typically stay for a few days before leaving to return to their families and responsibilites.
“This defeats the purpose of coming here,” he said.
In addition, his centre also does not take in those who have “never worked a day after leaving school and just want to ‘lie flat’”, as this mindset does not align with the community’s values.
Guanye’s concept also diverges from traditional caregiving facilities. Originally conceived as one simple home, the founders told CNA they expanded their vision to involve a larger community, including refurbishing unoccupied houses, in a broader effort of rural revitalisation.
Meals are communal affairs. Regular activities include rafting, hiking, photography walks and dumpling-making competitions, which Mr Cui says helps foster connections between the lodgers and villagers.
Participating in the activities is voluntary as the focus is on forming genuine connections and shared experiences, said Ms Xiaofei.
Similar youth retirement homes have popped up across China, signalling growing demand. While there is no public database for reference, checks by CNA found that such facilities have been established in places like Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Yunnan and Shandong.
But the trend of youth retirement homes is seeing brickbats, especially from the older generation.
On Chinese social media app Weibo, one user had this to say: “Why do young people want to ‘retire’ so early? It’s a case of neglecting one’s proper duties.”
“It would be hard to imagine how society could progress if this mindset is adopted by all of the young people,” another user wrote, even while conceding that the trend reflects “real issues” like the “harsh” employment landscape and work environment in China.
“THEY ACQUIRE CULTURAL CAPITAL”
“Young people are tired; many don’t see hope in achieving what they want in their careers,” acknowledged Dr Amir Hampel, a clinical assistant professor of Global China Studies at NYU Shanghai.
But even as some opt for a brief disconnect at youth retirement homes, they aren’t merely wasting away, he told CNA.
“They don’t sit around getting drunk at these centres, for the most part. They acquire cultural capital.”
For 20-year-old university student Fang Jingyu, the short two-day stay she had at Guanye Youth Retirement Village in early July came as a pleasant surprise.
“Previously, I had some prejudice towards rural homestays, with the feeling that the bourgeois charm and local culture were often at odds,” she told CNA.
“However, this was not the case here. I was deeply impressed by the strong emotional bonds between the organisers, guests, and local villagers.”
