'I'd rather nap at the movies than slump over my desk,' Chinese office workers say

Chinese office workers who once caught midday naps slumped over their desks are now heading to the nearest movie theater instead. A cinema in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, has drawn widespread attention on Chinese social media after introducing a "nap service" featuring fully reclining seats.

The Lumiai movie theater in Xi'an has offered the weekday lunchtime nap service since April last year, according to the South China Morning Post. A monthly subscription costs 39.9 yuan ($5.50) per person or 59.9 yuan for two, and subscribers can sleep in either of two designated screens any weekday between noon and 2:30 p.m.

The two screens together offer 76 fully reclining seats. Blankets, coffee and beverages are provided free of charge, while disposable earplugs and eye masks are available for 5.9 yuan each.

Phones must be set to silent, and anyone who needs to take a call must step outside. The theater also asks patrons to keep their shoes on indoors to maintain a comfortable atmosphere, it said.

Of the two screens, the larger "leisure screen" is the more popular napping spot, prized for its spacious layout. A second screen, the "massage seat room," is equipped with massage chairs.

Lumiai's manager, Xu, said the service was launched to address low weekday occupancy rates. "Most of the time, more than half the seats are filled through the nap service," Xu said.

Guo, a 33-year-old who works at a nearby office, has been using the service for four months. "I used to sleep at my desk, but I never felt refreshed," Guo said. "Now I come here every weekday. The leisure screen is dark and clean — I fall asleep almost as soon as I lie down."

The service, marketed under the name "lie-flat plan," has been linked to the "tangping" trend popular among China's younger generation. "Tangping," meaning "lying flat," is a coined term describing a lifestyle philosophy among young Chinese who choose a minimal existence over relentless competition.

The news drew enthusiastic responses online. "This is exactly what office workers need. The price is reasonable. I hope it spreads across the country," one user wrote. Another called it "a genuinely clever idea — the theater makes money too, so it's a win-win."