With the further tightening of political control and worsening economic conditions in China, the phenomenon of “lying flat” has become prevalent in Chinese society. It was reported that a professor named Su from a university in China was interrogated by authorities for repeatedly spreading ideas of “lying flat” in his classes. Some netizens pointed out that Professor Su was being penalized for his words.
According to an announcement from the China Fangzheng Publishing House affiliated with the CCP Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervision Commission on July 15, a certain university professor, who is also a CCP member, was found to be promoting ideas of “lying flat,” being lazy, and promoting historical nihilism, labeled as “wild history,” among his students and was subjected to an investigation.
Officials stated that Professor Su from the Law School of a university was an expert in law, but due to his difficult upbringing, he had a solitary and independent personality. His remarks had led to student complaints and multiple meetings with the academic affairs office, but he continued to go his own way.
The article mentioned that Professor Su’s behavior was deemed a violation of political discipline, but did not specify the eventual actions to be taken against him.
It also detailed examples of so-called “spreading negative energy and wrong views” by university administrators, including advocating for freedom and democracy, expanding the scope of direct elections, promoting freedom of settlement, freedom of household registration mobility, and freedom of speech.
On Weibo, some netizens reposted related reports, most of which had commenting restricted or only allowed comments in support of the authorities. However, sporadic comments expressed concerns about the state of free speech in China: “I still don’t understand what ‘positive energy’ and ‘negative energy’ mean. Different opinions are considered negative energy.” “You have to follow the script, can’t have a real discussion.” “Penalized for words.” “Sigh!”
The concept of “lying flat” and “lying flatism” has gained popularity in mainland China in recent years. Originally, it referred to a lifestyle choice where, under the rule of the CCP, with a declining economy and social injustice, many youth, facing unemployment and survival pressures, opt for a passive and non-aspiring attitude to express their discontent. “Lying flat” further extends to “being lazy.” The specific ways of “lying flat” include the “Four Nos” (no love, no marriage, no homeownership, no children), among others.
In the current political landscape of the CCP, since Xi Jinping increased crackdowns, everyone is in a state of anxiety, and the officials have collectively adopted a laid-back attitude of negligence and laziness.
The “lying flat” trend in China has spread from the officialdom to society, causing concern among authorities. On September 30 last year, the CCP’s magazine “Qiushi” published a speech by Xi Jinping, stating the need to strengthen the guidance of public opinion to prevent the spread of “negative lying flat and other unhealthy thoughts.”
Following the “lying flat” trend, a new concept of “garbage time in history” has recently circulated on Chinese cyberspace. A widely circulated popular saying among the public is that “garbage time in history” exhibits a connection to the concept of “lying flat” — “When history enters garbage time, you will witness buildings collapsing, colossal constitutions collapsing, lies being exposed, myths shattered, and various grand dramas unfold. The wise choice is to lie flat, watch the show, and wait for the passage of garbage time.”
As many people use “garbage time in history” to describe the countdown phase of the regime’s transition change, a recent article in the official newspaper “Beijing Daily” refuted these claims, eliciting mockery from netizens in response.