Viral Resignation Letter from a Post-2000s Beijing Worker Sparks Online Frenzy

A resignation letter from a post-2000s Beijing resident has gone viral online, with various bloggers creating short videos about it. Many commenters believe the letter is the greatest satire on society. (Online image / Dajiyuan composite)

[People News] A resignation letter written by a post-2000s Beijing resident has recently gone viral online, sparking widespread discussion. Numerous bloggers have created short videos promoting it, and the letter has been widely shared across social media platforms. Its content highlights the survival challenges faced by today’s young people in China, shedding light on the grim economic situation and the stark disparity between ordinary citizens and those within the CCP system.

According to Dajiyuan, the resignation letter details the financial and housing situation of the writer’s family: "My grandfather is retired and receives a monthly pension of over 10,000 yuan. My grandmother is retired and receives a monthly pension of over 8,000 yuan. My maternal grandfather is retired and receives over 9,000 yuan a month, while my maternal grandmother gets over 7,000 yuan.

My grandmother’s family owns two apartments in Haidian, while my grandfather’s family owns three in Wangjing, Chaoyang. Our family has two apartments in Zhongguancun and a villa in Tongzhou.

My parents, both only children, work within the system (the CCP bureaucracy) and don’t have time to take care of the elderly. As the only member of the younger generation in our family, I earn just 5,000 yuan a month despite working tirelessly. Therefore, I have decided to formally resign from my position to stay home and take care of my four elderly relatives. Money doesn’t matter; the health and longevity of my grandparents are what truly matter."

The resignation letter has prompted various bloggers and influencers to create short videos promoting it. It's no exaggeration to say it has taken the internet by storm.

Some commenters have even called this resignation letter the “most sarcastic critique of society” in recent times.

A woman from Jiangsu lamented: "Not only do we have to support this group of retirees with their high pensions from within the system, but we also have to support their grandchildren, while our own pensions are being delayed!"

One netizen commented, "I’ve never understood how the country operates—how can retirement pensions be higher than regular wages? It makes no sense!"

Another, a migrant worker, expressed suspicion: "I feel like the 400 yuan I pay for medical insurance is probably being used to fund their pensions!"

Others pointed out: "When government officials retire and then pass away, the state gives their family 40 months of salary. What about workers and farmers? They’re pitiful in comparison."

Some commentators have called the resignation letter "heart-wrenching", saying it "reflects the harsh reality of society." Another described it as "the biggest satire of our time."

Former Premier Li Keqiang, widely regarded as someone more in touch with the struggles of ordinary citizens, once acknowledged during a 2020 National People's Congress press conference that "about 600 million people in China earn only around 1,000 yuan per month." Analysts have suggested that Li’s statement, likely toned down to avoid offending Xi Jinping, may have understated the severity of the situation—indicating that the reality could be even worse.