Elderly people embrace diverse lifestyles in China

The elderly population in China, known as the silver-haired generation, in recent years has been actively exploring diverse lifestyles and seeking self-fulfillment and spiritual satisfaction.

Among them is 63-year-old He Juxian from southwest China's Yunnan Province, where international professional boxing matches were introduced relatively early in China.

Through a chance encounter, He joined a group of young boxers and began learning how to box. In the past five years, her hospital visits have decreased significantly, and she has traveled with the team to observe matches worldwide. This year, He had her first amateur boxing exhibition match.

He Juxian learns how to box in southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 20, 2024. (China News Service/Liu Ranyang)

In Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, Yue Xiaofeng, a gym salesperson, has observed that the elderly are the main customer group on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Activities like yoga, dance, and personal training classes are especially popular.

Elderly people have also been enriching their lives through hobbies and interests. 78-year-old Zhang Jiaming has been defying her age by playing the drums.

Zhang's only child passed away over 10 years ago. In 2023, she started to seek solace by learning to play the drums at a music studio in Kunming.

A man teaches elderly people how to play the drums at a music studio in Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 20, 2024. (China News Service/Liu Ranyang)

The vibrant lifestyle of the elderly has been reflected in various aspects.

The internet has created platforms for the elderly to engage in livestreams focused on health, online shopping, and fitness. This has led to the rise of elderly internet celebrities and vloggers in travel, exploration, and fashion.

China's universities for the elderly have catered to the spiritual and cultural needs of old people, and have offered diverse educational services.

Records from the China Association of the Universities For The Aged showed that in 2023, there were 76,000 colleges and universities for the elderly nationwide. In 2024, Yunnan University for The Elderly has experienced an enrollment growth of 18.6 percent year on year, with over 5,600 students and 55 majors available.

Chen Liang, president of the university, said that the university's newly introduced majors such as mobile photography, short video production, and image and video editing have become highly popular.

Elderly people learn to walk and pose along the catwalk at the Yunnan University for The Elderly on April 2, 2024. (China News Service/Liu Ranyang)

Changing elderly care concepts and lifestyle transitions among elderly people have led to their increased autonomy and the pursuit of a higher quality of life. This has stimulated the development of new consumer markets in education, entertainment, and health and wellness, according to Li Yanhua, an associate professor at Yunnan University.

According to a silver economy research group at the Fudan Institute on Aging of Fudan University, China's silver economy is expected to reach 19.1 trillion yuan ($2.65 trillion) by 2035. This will account for 27.8 percent of total consumption and 9.6 percent of GDP.