‘We just want more rest’: China workers lament extra workdays ahead of Golden Week holiday break

A Weibo user by the handle doctor Xu Chao, noted that the seven-day Golden Week break comprises three statutory public holidays for National Day, two weekend days and two days shifted from other weekends.

“If there’s no tiaoxiu, it looks like we would only have five days of holidays,” Xu wrote.

“For those who want to travel and visit their relatives, it’s definitely enough.

“But for some working adults, this would disrupt their work days and rest days, throwing their work schedules out of sync as well.”

Another user, Yang Xiaolei forever, questioned why the two holiday periods were not simply combined.

“If tiaoxiu is required, why didn’t we just (have a long holiday) from Sep 25 to Oct 4?” the user wrote.

“MORE REST, WITHIN REASON”

The debate has also sparked broader discussion over whether the system is designed primarily to give workers a break or to stimulate consumption during concentrated holiday periods.

A Weibo hashtag translating roughly as “Tiaoxiu is not for rest, it’s to encourage spending” was inaccessible on the platform.

“Due to related laws and policies, we are not able to display content related to this topic,” read a notice on the site seen by CNA.

Some individual posts discussing the issue, however, remained accessible.

A user with the handle “Don’t squeeze my bubble” said debate over tiaoxiu and consumer spending repeatedly surfaces on Weibo’s trending searches.

“On paper, it looks like you’re given more days of break, but in actual fact, there isn’t a lot,” the user said. “The reason why (so many) people get heated over the topic is because we just want more rest, and within reason.”