Stressed Chinese youngsters fuel wellness boom with a traditional twist

Stressed Chinese youngsters fuel wellness boom with a traditional twist

New habits are part of a global wellness boom, but the traditional concept of yangsheng — meaning cultivating one’s life force — has given the trend a unique cultural twist in China.

Healthy alternatives: Ingredients to prepare an herbal tea at a cafeteria in Xuhui district in Shanghai
| Photo Credit: AFP

Popping supplements, drinking herbal teas, and signing up for lifestyle classes, China’s youth are turning to the wellness industry as work stress and pandemic memories spur a growing interest in health.

These new habits are part of a global wellness boom, but the traditional concept of yangsheng — meaning cultivating one’s life force — has given the trend a unique cultural twist in China.

In Shanghai, Annie Huang sat in a trendy cafe-like establishment that sold traditional herbal teas, sipping a bitter concoction purported to protect the body against the summer heat.

“Young people today frequently pull all-nighters… so they want to drink something that they feel is good for their body,” Ms. Huang, in her thirties, said.

Ancient roots

Rooted in Taoism and traditional Chinese medicine beliefs, the vast umbrella of yangsheng includes habits like avoiding foods thought to make the body cold, and targeted massages that purportedly treat a range of ailments.

Capitalising on the trend, state-run traditional Chinese medicine giants such as Beijing Tongrentang have opened fashionably decorated stores offering “all-nighter water” and goji berry lattes alongside traditional ingredients believed to promote health like bird’s nest and ginseng.

Thousands of yangsheng influencers have filled Chinese social media with posts that offer tips on “expelling body dampness”, how to incorporate ginger juice into daily meals, and finger exercises that allegedly improve blood circulation.

The passion for yangsheng has even spilled over into tourism, with youths flocking to desert areas to lay on sand in the belief that the practice rids the body of unhealthy dampness.

The world’s second largest economy is battling sluggish consumption against the backdrop of a property crisis and stubborn youth unemployment. But health and wellness spending, especially among millennials and Gen Z, remains a bright spot.

Wellness purchases are “definitely increasing more than other categories” despite many younger spenders tightening their belts overall, said Jason Yu, greater China managing director at consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel.

The health craze has taken many forms ranging from medically proven to pseudoscience.

Chinese start-ups are selling everything from vitamin gummies to probiotic powders, vying for attention with traditionally more trusted imported brands.

Reports of overworked youth dying at their desks have prompted consumers to spring for “sudden death prevention packs” — combinations of supplements aimed at countering the impact of daily takeout meals and long workdays.

“You think you’re just working, but you’re actually cutting your lifespan,” warned one post by a yangsheng -focused office worker influencer on the Xiaohongshu platform.

Mr. Yu said he believed perception played a big part in young consumers’ rush to protect their health. “Higher awareness of different health issues, especially aided by social media, is helping (to drive consumption), because everybody feels they’re not healthy enough.”

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