Passion never retires

Wang Yuzhen, 70, who lives alone in Tangshan, Hebei province, said posting literary works online helped her overcome the sense of isolation and marginalization she felt after losing her husband.

She began writing essays on RedNote in 2023, and her account "Wo lian he gu" — literally "I love crops" — has attracted more than 110,000 followers.

Before retiring, Wang worked as a teacher and later as a public servant. "When I suddenly had nothing to do, I felt really uncomfortable and couldn't quite adjust," she said.

At first, Wang's niece helped her set up a RedNote account and suggested she watch cooking and knitting tutorials. But Wang soon found herself drawn to the platform's blend of photos and text, and decided to share her own writing instead.

She published her first essay on the eve of Mother's Day in 2023, expressing gratitude to her late mother. "I love this noisy world because my mother was here," she wrote.

The simple yet heartfelt words resonated with many readers. Hundreds of views and several encouraging comments on her first post gave Wang the confidence to continue.

"Even if no one reads my work, I would keep writing because of my passion for literature," she said. "But when people do read it, I feel that I am valuable."

By the time she published her 78th post, she had 1,000 followers.

Writing has since become part of Wang's daily routine. Every afternoon, she sits at her desk, first scribbling her thoughts on paper before typing them into the computer. She said her previous office experience helped her adapt quickly to digital tools. Now, she often speaks into her phone and uses voice recognition apps to convert her words into text.

"Maybe we're slow when it comes to posting procedures," Wang added with a smile, "but at our age, we have plenty of time."

Most of her essays draw on memories of her husband, parents and grandmother. Her life experiences shape her stories, which are largely nostalgic and sympathetic, she said.

In November last year, her first book, I Love Crops, an essay collection bearing the same name as her account, was published.

"It was a turning point in my life," Wang said. She had never imagined that she would one day publish a book. For Wang, the title "author" carries significant weight as her generation looked up to literature with reverence in the 1980s.

Today, Wang is recognized as an author and has participated in book seminars across the country. She jokingly described herself as a "growth-style" blogger.

Wang said that writing and sharing her work online have enriched her inner world and given her a valuable opportunity to reflect on her life and release long-held emotions.

"I'm much busier now, but I feel happy and fulfilled," she added.

Beyond age barriers

On a platform where most users were born after 1990, senior accounts like Yuan's and Wang's are a reassuring presence and have become especially popular among younger adults.

Under their posts, users from different age groups have left comments such as "you gave me strength" and "your experience has inspired me". Many also share their small joys and personal struggles, interacting with their "elder" online friends.

When responding to young people's anxiety and confusion, Wang tells them she still feels confused at 70. "The confusion that once kept me awake at night has now become the most vivid writing," she wrote in one post.

Many readers say they find comfort in her essays. "I believe this warmth goes both ways. If my writing has ever warmed them, then their interactions with me have warmed me as well," the writer said.

As Wang realized that her words have influence, especially among younger readers, she began polishing her work more carefully before posting and even considered young people's reading habits. "Using some of young people's language is … also a way of becoming younger," she said.

Yuan's fashion vlogs have also surprised many online viewers, with some saying they hope to live as stylishly and freely as she does in their later years.

"Young people like coffee, but they might not expect that older people like me enjoy it too," Yuan said, noting that her spending habits also contradict the stereotype that seniors are necessarily frugal.

According to Du, the RUC professor, elderly accounts, shaped by the unique perspectives of their generation, present a more authentic image of older adults. This helps younger people pay greater attention to this age group and deepen their understanding of life in old age.

After retirement, many seniors share online their professional skills and knowledge. Retired English teachers run accounts offering practical language lessons, while former doctors share information about traditional Chinese medicine.

Du pointed out that information shared by older users tends to have greater credibility with young people.

As young people follow these "elder" accounts, they can share what they learn about seniors' fashion, fitness and travel with older family members.

"It is a good thing that more older people are willing to express themselves online, which enables young people to understand us better and encourages them to spend more time with people our age," said Yuan, who also follows several of her peers' accounts.

Seeing people in their 90s or even age over 100 sharing their lives online has inspired her as well. "Looking at it this way, I could keep doing this for at least five more years, which is quite exciting," Yuan said.

Du said that social media platforms, by offering diverse forms of communication, have expanded the reach of older adults and helped them engage in more online interactions. This gives them a stronger sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue creating and participating, he said.

"As more senior users engage online in various ways, the boundaries between age groups will gradually narrow rather than widen," Du said.