1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
SocietyChina

The Chinese dream — influencers and millionaires in China

42:16

This browser does not support the video element.

June 3, 2026

What do young Chinese people dream of? What hopes and goals do they have? Do the grandchildren of the "rising generation" still believe in progress through work, and prosperity for all? Or do they have different values?

In China, people rarely talk about their own dreams. There is the government’s "Chinese Dream,” of course: It promises prosperity to those whowork hard and propel their country forward to the top of the world. But the boom is over, and China’s economy is stagnating. Many young people can’t find jobs. Many also no longer want to work as hard as their parents did. In two episodes "A Day with Paintboxers, Influencers, and Millionaires” and "A Night with Rock Stars, Rebels, and Princesses,” the filmmakers meet young people who are breaking with their parents’ hopes and dreams. The subjects let the filmmakers into their homes, and open their hearts. The filmmakers, in turn, don’t talk about the young people — instead, they let them tell their own stories. "Our generation’s dreams are completely different,” says a young woman. "My dream shouldn’t be built on my children, but on myself.” "I feel like I can try anything and achieve anything I set my mind to,” believes another. "I don’t have big ambitions,” admits a young man. "I just want to have enough money to live on so I can do what I enjoy.” And yet another emphasizes: "I don’t want to become a workhorse, but an interesting soul.”

Skip next section About the show

About the show

DocFilm

Exciting stories, a wide variety of topics, fascinating pictures: every day, half or three-quarters of an hour of carefully researched background reports from the worlds of politics, business, science, culture, nature, history, lifestyle and sport.

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW

More stories from DW