In Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the Moonlight Clan (Chinese: 月光族; pinyin: Yuèguāng Zú) is a name given to people (particularly young people) who expend their entire salary before the end of each month.[1] The term is derived from a lunar cycle.[2] While yue guang translates directly to "moonlight", it is also a pun derived from the combination of its individual words, yue (月; month or moon) and guang (光; 'empty, used up, or light'). In the United States, a comparable notion is referred to as "living paycheck to paycheck".
"Moonlight clan" is a relatively new Chinese neologism.[3][4] It generally refers to wealthier individuals who could be saving but choose not to, rather than those with a low income.
Causes of the increase in this population include low income and a relatively high cost of living. The median monthly income of Hong Kongers aged 15-24 remained unchanged at HKD $8,000 between 2001 and 2011, though the median monthly income of the whole population had increased to HKD$9,000.[5] The Consumer Price Index of Hong Kong increased by thirteen percent, from 96 to 109 index points, in that same period.[citation needed] It also relates to a broader shift towards a consumer culture in China, such as an increase in the use of credit cards.[6][7][8]
Population
[edit]Mainland China
[edit]A survey in 2011 on Guangzhou youth aged 15-35 revealed that 35 percent of interviewees were part of the Moonlight Clan.[9]
In the middle of 2019, the People's Bank of China released the "2019 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey Report" which is a comprehensive analysis of the financial literacy of Chinese consumers from perspectives of attitude, behavior, knowledge and skill. Among the 18,600 samples surveyed, most consumers paid more attention to personal credit score. The willingness to delay consumption declined slightly. 79.03% of consumers disapproved of being "moonlight clan" and only 17.80% of "strongly agree" or "considerable".[10]
Hong Kong
[edit]In 2012, MassMutual Asia Ltd commissioned the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong to conduct a telephone survey about post-80s and post-90s. The survey findings revealed that one out of seven respondents spent as much or more as they earned monthly.[11]
In 2017, one in every six people in Hong Kong, aged 18 to 35, had no money left over to save each month, an increase from 2013 when one in every seven people didn't save.[12][citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Special Report: The Chinese consumer awakens". Reuters. Reuters. 9 Dec 2010. Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 28 Mar 2014.
- ^ New York Times (12 Jan 2011). "Moonlight Clan". Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 28 Mar 2014.
- ^ "Moonlight Clan". Schott’s Vocab Blog. 2011-01-12. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ Gaskin, Sam (31 May 2018). "China's "Moonlight Clan" Spurs Boom in Luxury Brand Value". Jing Daily. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Jan 2013). "Population Census Thematic Report: Youths" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 28 Mar 2014.
- ^ Rajkobal, Praveena. "Globalization, Consumerism and Unsustainable Consumption" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
- ^ Tong, Goh Chiew (2023-04-13). "Young people in Greater China are blowing their paychecks every month — even if they don't have to". CNBC. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ Hong Kong Business (17 Aug 2001). "Hong Kong's Credit Card Rates Rising". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 28 Mar 2014.
}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ China.org.cn (26 May 2005). "China's 'Moonlight Clan' Indulges in Shopping Spree". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 28 Mar 2014.
- ^ "全国有多少人愿意做月光族？央行给出了答案：17.8%". finance.sina.com.cn. 2 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ Mass Mutual Asia (9 July 2013). "MassMutual Asia Announces "Study on the post-80s/90s" Survey Findings Average Rating of Confidence Level in Realizing Dreams is only 5.9. One out of Seven Young People is "Moonlight Clan"". Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 28 Mar 2014.
- ^ Keegan, Matthew (30 August 2017). "1 in 6 Hong Kongers Are Part of the 'Moonlight Clan'. Are You One of Them?". Culture Trip. Archived from the original on 2019-10-16. Retrieved 2019-12-28.