China Renames 'Vagrants and Beggars' as 'Scattered Persons', Sparking Online Mockery
China's draft Social Relief Law proposes renaming 'vagrants and beggars' to 'scattered persons', claiming a decrease in traditional homelessness. Netizens have slammed the move as a deceptive attempt to hide economic hardship, mockingly suggesting the term 'people waiting for wealth' as more fitting.
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- 📰 Published: April 25, 2026 at 20:31
- 🔍 Collected: April 25, 2026 at 21:01 (30 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 22:21 (1h 19m after Collected)
Officials from China's National People's Congress announced yesterday that the draft 'Social Relief Law' will modify the expression 'vagrants and beggars' to 'scattered persons.' The reasoning provided is that the number of such individuals has significantly decreased, and most are now 'temporarily distressed people.' This news immediately triggered a wave of mockery on Chinese social media, with many users sarcastically suggesting that 'people waiting for wealth' would be a more appropriate term.
Since the establishment of the CCP, homeless individuals drifting from rural areas to cities were forcibly detained under the term 'blind flow.' In 1982, the State Council defined them as 'vagrants and beggars.' Shi Chunfeng, spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission, stated that the revision aims to showcase the 'warmth of the rule of law' and better reflect the current reality where traditional vagrants are disappearing due to the achievement of a 'moderately prosperous society.'
Official data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs claimed that 709,000 instances of assistance were provided to temporarily distressed people in the past year. However, behind these figures lies a grim reality of a weak domestic economy and a severe employment situation, with many migrant workers sleeping on streets after failing to find jobs. Netizens on Weibo ridiculed the semantic shift, stating, 'With this change, there will be no more beggars in the world.' Many pointed out that China no longer has unemployment, only 'flexible employment.'
Since the establishment of the CCP, homeless individuals drifting from rural areas to cities were forcibly detained under the term 'blind flow.' In 1982, the State Council defined them as 'vagrants and beggars.' Shi Chunfeng, spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission, stated that the revision aims to showcase the 'warmth of the rule of law' and better reflect the current reality where traditional vagrants are disappearing due to the achievement of a 'moderately prosperous society.'
Official data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs claimed that 709,000 instances of assistance were provided to temporarily distressed people in the past year. However, behind these figures lies a grim reality of a weak domestic economy and a severe employment situation, with many migrant workers sleeping on streets after failing to find jobs. Netizens on Weibo ridiculed the semantic shift, stating, 'With this change, there will be no more beggars in the world.' Many pointed out that China no longer has unemployment, only 'flexible employment.'