# ‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults

- Source: Guardian World
- Published: 2026-10-26T09:47:14+00:00
- Category: World
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/26/zero-energy-companionship-bizarre-hobby-takes-seed-among-chinas-stressed-young-adults
- Canonical: https://groundlevelnews.com/story/zero-energy-companionship-bizarre-hobby-takes-seed-among-china-s-stres-81a7dd/

Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’ Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks. Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,”

_Ground Level News shows a short summary only; the full article and all rights belong to Guardian World._