Over a century ago, Chen Duxiu (1879-1942), one of the key founders of the Communist Party of China, likened youth to early spring, the morning sun, the budding of countless flowers, and a sharp blade freshly honed on a whetstone. He referred to youth as the most valuable phase of life.

Fast forward to today, where the current generation of youth has truly entered an era of profuse blooming, as evidenced by the many members of Generation Z (those born after 1995 and into the 2000s) who have joined the workforce, thereby becoming the backbone of our society, each person playing a unique societal role in their own ways.

"Think of young people like the latest mobile operating system, and the older generations as the outdated versions," said 27-year-old Zhao Jiadai from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. "They coexist for a while, but eventually, the new version becomes the norm."

Since the age of 16, when Zhao independently planned her study abroad journey to Canada, every life decision she has made has been bold and ambitious.

For instance, at 18, she chose to attend The Chinese University of Hong Kong instead of a university on the mainland like many of her classmates. By the age of 20, she took a break from school to start her first company.

Later, she took on various roles, including lecturing at a business school for entrepreneurs and working in cross-border e-commerce with a major internet company. Last year, she founded a business-focused we-media platform, which runs online communities and offers training courses for young entrepreneurs.

Zhao believes that her path is driven by a natural rebellious spirit — a quality she considers essential for young people. For her, rebellion signifies innovation, a key element in propelling industry and national progress.

"A society and country that can embrace the rebellion and uniqueness of young people are demonstrating that they provide fertile ground for growth," she said.

Zhao's given name, "Jiadai", literally translates to "a good era", symbolizing her parents' blessing for her to be born "in the best of times". She herself also maintains a positive outlook, believing that the present is indeed a great epoch, marked by different opportunities and challenges.

The development of the internet, for example, has presented a significant opportunity for the younger generation.

In 2016, fueled by a passion for photography, Zhao established her photography teaching accounts on Chinese social media platforms like Zhihu and WeChat. After accumulating a considerable number of followers by the time she was a junior in college, she decided to turn this into her full-time job and set up a company.

"Starting a business during university is the least worrisome time to do so. You're so young that even if you fail, it won't knock you down. But you should also consider whether you're prepared to handle the worst outcome," Zhao reflected on her first entrepreneurial experience, explaining that her project was light on assets and didn't require a substantial initial investment.

"At most, I would lose some time and a small amount of money," she said.

After reaching a milestone of 2 million followers across various online platforms, Zhao encountered a bottleneck. She wanted to learn more from professionals and large enterprises, which led her to work at a business school for entrepreneurs and later at an internet company. Despite this, she remained focused on pursuing entrepreneurship in the future, so she tried to accumulate as much management experience as possible and gain insight into employees' perspectives while at work.

In Zhao's latest entrepreneurial venture, she invited many other businesspeople to share experiences and provide training programs. Through her interactions with them, she discovered some common traits among entrepreneurs.

For example, they are likely to be those who are unafraid of taking risks and are undeterred by uncertainty, according to Zhao. Also, nearly all entrepreneurs have something that they deeply enjoy.

"Without that passion to drive you forward, you might find yourself lost and distracted during the entrepreneurial journey," said Zhao.

She also emphasized that an entrepreneur must be willing to embrace a lifestyle where work intensity is high and fully intertwines with an individual's personal life. "For me, it's more about me needing my work than my work needing me. The sense of achievement and happiness I get from my career accomplishments is unparalleled," she said.

A quiet rebel

In contrast to the ambitious Zhao, Wang Xiaodan, from Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin province, is more serene. There are many young people who, like Wang, maintain a low level of desire in the fast-paced urban life. They are not outcome-oriented and dislike competing with others.

Last summer, the 22-year-old Wang took a four-month break after graduating from Jilin International Studies University, choosing not to immediately enter the workforce like her peers. Instead, she started her own vlog, documenting her daily life through videos.

Wang never considered the popular options of pursuing a master's degree or taking the civil service examination, as she believed they did not align with her interests.

Later, driven by her curiosity about working life, she relocated from her hometown to Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, to work as a content operator for a fashion company. The job wasn't too demanding, allowing her to have personal time to continue producing videos.

"I really need a clear boundary between work and life. Achieving a balance between the two is what I strive for," she said.

Wang also sees herself as a "light person" — a Chinese internet term describing someone who takes things lightly. Unlike "intense people", "light" individuals are typically more introverted and sensitive, capable of noticing subtle changes in their surroundings without overly displaying their emotions.

"I find these labels quite interesting. The person who came up with them must have a lot of imagination. Only those whose creativity hasn't been dulled by life can think of such expressions," she said.

Wang hopes that she can remain a person with a rich imagination and keen perception too, as she believes that these traits are invaluable for creativity.

Many of her videos center on introspection, deep thinking, self-exploration, and some even border on the stream of consciousness, which might not necessarily align with mainstream aesthetics or preferences.

"But that doesn't mean I'm completely closed off. By sharing these videos online, I aim to connect with others," she said. In fact, Wang's videos have attracted many individuals like her. "I've kept in touch with some for a long time, and others have offered perspectives I had never considered before, which has been a pleasant surprise."

Among these like-mined people, Wang observed certain qualities unique to today's youth. "The younger generation possesses more individuality and strength than ever before. It's about daring to live a non-conformist life and seeking a state of being that they truly desire," she said. "While older generations might often follow the same life path, societal expectations, and standards of judgment, we are determined not to be confined to a single track."

Wang enjoys revisiting her mother's birthplace, a village in Northeast China, an experience she has documented in a series of videos titled "Dan's Pure Land". In one of the videos, she said, "Life is when everything moves slower, when you can hear the wind, when the falling of leaves is noticed. We should slow down and become observers and appreciators of life, not competitors."

A life in slashes

Liu Tong, from Xianyang, Shaanxi province, is someone who never seems to slow down. Starting his day a little past 6 in the morning and not resting until after 11 at night, his schedule is packed due to his many commitments.

At 23 years old, he is currently a second-year graduate student at Tsinghua University's School of Vehicle and Mobility. Beyond that, he also holds national patents, excels as a competitive Rubik's Cube solver, volunteers in sign language, and owns a photography studio. All these roles lead to his busy schedule and form the basis of his self-identity as a "slasher".

Liu believes that being a slasher is all about "embracing multiple roles and leading a diverse life", where individuals use slashes to showcase the various labels they identify with. Behind each of these labels lies a spirit of curiosity and dedication.

"I was initially motivated by my love for exploring the wonderful things in the world," he said. "But then I realized that once I engage with something, I approach it professionally, with clear goals, striving to achieve results. The positive feedback I continuously receive fuels my self-recognition and acceptance."

Liu's first hobby to earn professional recognition was solving Rubik's Cubes. He participated in a world-level competition at the age of 15 and has since achieved rankings of 7th in China, 9th in Asia, and 33rd in the world.

His journey into learning sign language began five years ago after witnessing a hearing-impaired girl being treated coldly by a waiter in a restaurant because it was hard to take her orders. Within three months, Liu taught himself sign language, and after passing an assessment by the China Disabled Persons' Federation, he organized volunteers to create videos of sign language song performances to promote sign language culture.

Since taking up photography in 2022, Liu has become a contributor to several image agencies such as Visual China Group and Tuchong. Together with some alumni, he established a photography studio, taking on photography projects for school events and commercial shoots. He also became a lecturer at the Tsinghua University photography workshops.

Despite his many pursuits, Liu prioritizes his roles, with academics and research being his primary focus.

As a student, Liu has secured nearly 40 national patent authorizations. Currently, he is dedicated to researching autonomous driving, aiming to contribute to the national development scheme within his field of expertise. One of his patents involves an algorithm for reinforcement learning, which utilizes neural network technology to simulate the human brain, enhancing the precision and response time of vehicle control.

"I hope to excel in my main profession while also managing my side interests. After all, every additional pursuit comes after your core identity," Liu said.