The Guomao central business district in Beijing on Monday. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]
Some businesses have turned to the internet to retain customer loyalty.
For example, gyms have closed but are encouraging people to exercise at home by sharing training classes through their social media platforms.
Cartoonist Liang Kedong, known online as Bai Cha (White Tea), has released a series of his work centering on iconic characters, including a fat, bossy, black-and-white cat named Wu Huang, a stocky dog named Ba Zhahei and their owner, an unnamed young man.
Liang, who is aiming to portray and reflect on the work people are doing from home, has received enthusiastic feedback from fans.
In one of his scenes, the cat sits in front of a computer looking alert and smart. An accompanying line states, "This is how my boss thinks of me when I work from home."
Another scene portrays the cat adopting the same pose, but looking sleepy, with a line stating, "This is how my colleagues see me." In the final scene, the cat remains in bed, with his face and hair unwashed. The caption states, "This is what I look like now."
"It's so true," one fan said on the cartoonist's Sina Weibo platform, which has nearly 5 million followers. "I didn't wash my face until the videoconference I was taking part in was about to start.
"It feels as though time has stopped at the start of 2020. I hope we can overcome this outbreak and that life can return to normal as soon as possible."
