In 1992, Deng Xiaoping's southern tour speech resonated like thunder across the land of China. The phrase "Development is the hard truth" ignited the long-dormant entrepreneurial passion of hundreds of millions of Chinese people. In just a few years, a nationwide wave of "going to sea" surged forth. One hundred thousand civil servants resigned, tens of millions took unpaid leave, moving from government offices to the streets, rushing from the system to the market. Among them were university professors, state-owned enterprise officials, and researchers, as well as countless ordinary people unwilling to settle for mediocrity. In an era when even a "ten-thousand-yuan household" was enviable, they resolutely plunged into the unknown business world, battling the waves.
That was a "golden age" fondly remembered by many. Lenovo, Haier, Vanke, TCL, Wantong... Most of these now-familiar names were born in those years filled with adventure and opportunity. Liu Chuanzhi started in the communications room of the computing institute, Zhang Ruimin smashed 76 refrigerators to reshape the belief in quality, Wang Shi founded Vanke in Shekou, and Feng Lun, Pan Shiyi, and others formed the "Wantong Six Gentlemen" to speculate on real estate in Hainan... They wrote the epic history of China's private economy with courage, sweat, and even blood and tears.
Today, as the "civil service exam craze" sweeps over the younger generation, the number of applicants for the national civil service exam reaches new highs, with competition ratios for popular positions soaring to thousands to one. "Getting on shore" has become the dream destination for countless young people. We can't help but ask: Can the spirit of the "going to sea" wave, which was daring, enterprising, and pioneering, be revived in the new era? Has the era belonging to adventurers, entrepreneurs, and disruptors truly passed?
I. "Going to Sea": The Adventure and Glory of an Era
The term "going to sea" originally referred to fishermen going out to catch fish, later extending to abandoning stable jobs to dive into the business world. From the 1980s to the 1990s, it became a social trend, a symbol of the times. It was not merely a job change but a profound social transformation, a microcosm of the shift from a planned economy to a market economy.
1. Policy Relaxation: From "Individual Households" to the Legalization of "Private Enterprises"
The reform and opening-up began in 1978, but initially focused on rural reforms. It wasn't until 1980 that Zhang Huamei from Wenzhou received China's first business license for individual operators, officially granting individual economies legal status. In 1987, the "Interim Regulations on the Management of Urban and Rural Individual Operators" were introduced, leading to a rapid increase in the number of individual operators. In 1988, the "Interim Regulations on Private Enterprises of the People's Republic of China" were promulgated, finally legitimizing private enterprises. After the southern tour speech in 1992, the goal of the market economy system was established, and policies were fully relaxed, reaching the peak of the "going to sea" wave.
This series of policy changes provided institutional guarantees for "going to sea." People no longer feared "cutting off the tail of capitalism" but could openly pursue wealth and success.
2. Economic Opportunities: Market Gaps and the "Brain-Body Inversion" Dividend
In the early days of reform and opening-up, the Chinese market was almost a blank slate. There was a shortage of goods, strong demand, and insufficient competition. As long as you had courage and connections, you could quickly accumulate wealth. This was the so-called "first bucket of gold" era.
Even more shocking was the phenomenon of "brain-body inversion"—an ordinary individual operator's income could far exceed that of a university professor or senior engineer. This huge income disparity strongly impacted the traditional view of "scholars excel and then enter government," prompting many intellectuals and people within the system to dive into the business world.
3. Social Mindset: The Shift from "Iron Rice Bowl" to "Exploring the World"
In the planned economy era, the "iron rice bowl" was the dream destination for everyone. The "going to sea" wave overturned this value system. People began to admire adventure, innovation, efficiency, and wealth creation. The media extensively reported on "ten-thousand-yuan households" and "entrepreneurs," and public opinion shifted from criticizing "speculation" to praising "reform pioneers."
This shift in mindset was the fundamental driving force behind the sustainability of the "going to sea" wave. It not only changed individual destinies but also reshaped the entire society's value orientation.
II. "Civil Service Exam Craze": The "Safe Haven" Choice of the New Era
In stark contrast to the "going to sea" wave is the increasingly intense "civil service exam craze" in recent years. According to data from the National Civil Service Administration, the number of applicants for the national civil service exam reached 2.61 million in 2024, with an average competition ratio exceeding 70:1, and some popular positions even reaching 3572:1. Meanwhile, the number of college graduates has been rising year after year, reaching 11.79 million in 2024, creating unprecedented employment pressure.
Behind the "civil service exam craze" is a profound economic and social transformation.
1. Economic Downturn and Increasing Uncertainty
After the global financial crisis in 2008, China's economic growth gradually slowed. In recent years, influenced by multiple factors such as the pandemic, international situation, and industrial restructuring, layoffs, salary cuts, and business closures have become frequent. Industries like the internet, education and training, and real estate have experienced severe turbulence, with terms like "35-year-old crisis," "involution," and "lying flat" becoming catchphrases among young people.
In this context, the "counter-cyclical stability" of civil servants appears particularly precious. Regardless of economic fluctuations, civil servants' salaries, social security, and pensions are generally unaffected. This characteristic of "guaranteed income" makes it the top choice for risk-averse individuals.
2. Institutional Welfare and Implicit Security
Civil servants not only enjoy stable incomes but also have access to comprehensive welfare systems for healthcare, housing, children's education, and retirement. Especially in regions with good financial conditions, civil servants' actual benefits far exceed those of ordinary enterprise employees. According to relevant studies, civil servants' average salaries are 76.6% higher than those in private enterprises, with pension replacement rates as high as 80%-90%, far surpassing those of corporate employees.
Moreover, the "soft power" of social status, networking resources, and development space within the system is also highly attractive.
3. The Return of Social Concepts and the Rise of the "Getting on Shore" Narrative
The traditional concept of "scholars excel and then enter government" has resurfaced in the new era. Taking the civil service exam is seen as "getting on shore"—escaping the fiercely competitive and uncertain "sea of suffering" to enter a safe and dignified life within the system. On social media, "getting on shore experiences" and "exam preparation strategies" have become popular content, and civil service training institutions have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.
This "getting on shore" narrative is essentially a risk-avoidance strategy, reflecting young people's anxiety and unease about the future.
III. Spiritual Disconnection? The Era Transition from "Going to Sea" to "Getting on Shore"
The "going to sea" wave and the "civil service exam craze" seem to represent two different career choices, but they actually reflect two different states of mind.
- "Going to sea" is proactive, creating value, and taking risks for high returns;
- "Taking the civil service exam" is passive defense, seeking security, sacrificing some freedom for stability.
This transformation reflects the deep logic of Chinese society transitioning from an "incremental era" to a "stock era."
In the 1990s, China's economy was in a period of rapid growth, with vast market space and opportunities everywhere. The choice then was "to go to sea or not," with the core issue being "how to seize opportunities." Today, with economic growth slowing, industries nearing saturation, and competition exceptionally fierce, young people's choice is "how to avoid risks," with the core issue being "how to survive."
From this perspective, the "civil service exam craze" is not a sign of young people's lack of ambition but rather a rational choice under real pressure. When the cost of entrepreneurial failure is extremely high (such as debt, damaged credit, and social stigma), and the stability of working within the system is very high, seeking benefits and avoiding harm is a natural human instinct.
But does this mean that the spirit of the "going to sea" wave has completely vanished?
IV. Contemporary Echoes of the Spirit of Going to Sea: New Tracks and New Possibilities
Although the "civil service exam craze" is prevalent, the spirit of the "going to sea" wave has not been completely extinguished. It is quietly reviving in new forms and new fields.
1. Technological Entrepreneurship: From "Flipping" to "Hard Technology" Upgrades
Today's entrepreneurs are no longer the "flippers" of the past but are focused on "hard technology" fields such as artificial intelligence, new energy, biomedicine, and chips. Many of them are PhDs from Tsinghua, Peking University, and Stanford, bringing technology, capital, and a global perspective to innovation.
For example, Wang Tao of DJI, Zeng Yuqun of CATL, and Xu Li of SenseTime are all "going to sea" figures of the new era. They no longer rely on policy arbitrage or market gaps but win markets through technological innovation and global competition.
2. Digital Economy: The Rise of Platform Economy and Freelancing
Internet platforms have spawned a large number of new professions: streamers, content creators, independent developers, freelance writers, e-commerce store owners... They are not employed by fixed units but rely on personal abilities to make a living in the digital world. This phenomenon of "digital nomads" and "slash youth" is, to some extent, a continuation of the "going to sea" spirit—pursuing autonomy, flexibility, and unbounded work styles.
Although the platform economy also faces "involution" and the "35-year-old crisis," it provides unprecedented entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for ordinary people.
3. Policy Support: The Shift from "Laissez-Faire" to "Guidance"
Unlike the "crossing the river by feeling the stones" approach of the 1990s, today's government is more proactive in guiding innovation and entrepreneurship. From "mass entrepreneurship and innovation" to support for "specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative" enterprises, from the establishment of the Sci-Tech Innovation Board to the construction of entrepreneurial incubation bases, the policy environment is more friendly to entrepreneurs.
In addition, the business environment continues to improve, with more convenient systems for business registration, financing, and taxation, lowering the barriers to entrepreneurship.
V. Challenges and Reflections: The Dilemmas of "Going to Sea" in the New Era
Despite new opportunities, today's "going to sea" is far more difficult than in the 1990s.
1. Market Saturation and Intensified Competition
Most industries have entered a mature stage, with a clear head effect. New entrants find it difficult to shake up the existing pattern. Entrepreneurship is no longer about "gold mining in blue oceans" but "fighting in red oceans."
2. High Costs and Financing Difficulties
Labor, rent, and raw material costs continue to rise, putting immense pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises. Despite venture capital support, most startups struggle to secure financing or exhaust resources in a "burning money" model.
3. Weak Social Support System
The social cost of entrepreneurial failure remains high. The lack of a comprehensive bankruptcy protection, credit repair, and re-employment support mechanism makes many people "dare not go to sea."
4. Talent Mismatch and Systemic Absorption
A large number of highly educated talents are flooding into the civil service system, leading to a loss of talent in innovative fields. The income and welfare gap between the system and the outside world is too large, creating a "system absorption effect" that suppresses market vitality.
VI. Conclusion: The Spirit Lives On, Awaiting the Spring Breeze
The spirit of the "going to sea" wave is essentially a spirit of adventure, innovation, and hard work. It is not about whether one resigns to start a business, but whether one dares to break out of their comfort zone, whether one is willing to take risks for their dreams, and whether one believes that through hard work, they can change their destiny.
This spirit has never truly disappeared. It has merely changed its form with the passage of time. From the real estate speculation in Hainan in 1992 to today's AI large model entrepreneurship; from individual operators setting up stalls to cross-border e-commerce going global; from "ten-thousand-yuan households" to "unicorns," what has changed is the track, but what remains unchanged is the courage to refuse mediocrity.
The current prevalence of the "civil service exam craze" may be a reaction against the excessive pursuit of stability. As more and more young people feel the suffocation of "involution" and "lying flat" within the system, and as society calls for more innovation and vitality, perhaps a new "going to sea" wave is brewing.
The true golden age has never relied on stability but on exploration. As long as the institutional environment continues to improve, as long as society respects hard work and innovation, and as long as young people still have dreams in their hearts—the spirit of the "going to sea" wave will ultimately be reborn.
Because China has never lacked people who dare to explore and try. What is perhaps lacking is just a spring breeze.