The truth about ‘Zhangjiang nan’ – China’s version of the Silicon Valley tech guy
- The country’s internet is rife with memes stereotyping the young men who work and live in Zhangjiang Science City, a tech hub in Shanghai
- Two of them set the record straight, showing how they represent what is actually a diverse group with a broad range of interests
In the West, the term “tech geek” instantly conjures up a certain image. It could be the black turtleneck-and-jeans ensemble made iconic by the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, or an ever-present hoodie in the style of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. But you know one when you see one, thanks to TV shows like HBO’s Silicon Valley and CBS’s The Big Bang Theory immortalising this type of look.
In China, the equivalent could very well be the young men who work and live in Zhangjiang Science City, a thriving centre of innovation considered to be Shanghai’s version of Silicon Valley, which covers 220 sq km (84.9 square miles) in the city’s Pudong district. Called Zhangjiang nan, which literally translates to “Zhangjiang guy”, the stereotype has already gained plenty of attention in Chinese popular media.
“I learned of Zhangjiang nan from the internet even before moving here two years ago,” says Liu Ge, 30, who does marketing for an IT company in the area.
“They are said to be dressed in checked shirts most of the time, always on their computers, awkward in social situations and frequently have to work overtime,” she explains.
Chen Jiehong, 29, admits to regularly working overtime in his role as a product manager. “It’s not unusual for me to get off at 8pm or 9pm,” says the Shanghai native, who moved to Zhangjiang in October last year.
That being said, Chen plays hard as well, proving that this internet stereotype may not hold up. “Zhangjiang nan are said to be homebodies and not into sports,” says Chen, who plays frisbee for one of Shanghai’s top frisbee clubs, enjoys basketball and is also a self-described extrovert.
