A new trend of young people battling stress by rediscovering beauty in their surroundings is sweeping through Chinese social media, amassing millions of views on platforms such as Dou yin and Xiao hong shu.
通过在周边环境中重新发现美来缓解压力，这一新趋势正在中国社交媒体上流行开来，在抖音和小红书等平台上积累了数百万浏览量。

Color Walk, as it is called, involves participants selecting a specific color theme before heading out and then documenting everything that matches the chosen shade during a leisurely stroll through a neighborhood, or even during daily commuting.
Color Walk（色彩漫步）指的是参与者先选定一个颜色主题，然后在街区悠闲散步甚至日常通勤时，记录下与该颜色相关的一切。

Yang Zheng, 29, who works in the publishing industry in Qingdao, Shandong province, said the idea of Color Walk had thrilling resonance when she first came across it on Dou yin. "Whether one is experiencing cultural settings or passing through natural scenery, it's a great thing to share," she said.
29岁的杨铮在山东省青岛市从事出版行业。她说，当她在抖音上第一次看到Color Walk的想法时，产生了强烈的共鸣。"无论是在文化氛围中还是在自然风光中，分享都是一件很棒的事情，"她说。

A week ago, Yang started a Color-Walk sharing group on WeChat, which has since attracted about 45 members, mostly from Generation Z. Every evening, the group decides on a "Color of the Day" and members share photos matching the theme.
一周前，杨铮在微信上成立了一个色彩漫步分享群，吸引了约45名成员，其中大多数是Z世代。每天晚上，群里决定一个"今日颜色"，成员们分享与主题相符的照片。

The activity is aimed at helping people rediscover amusement in their otherwise monotonous lives, she said, adding that it also helps participants unwind and relieve stress.
她说，这项活动旨在帮助人们在原本单调的生活中重新发现乐趣，并补充说，这也有助于参与者放松身心，缓解压力。

Yang cited her own example. A few days ago, when she got carsick on her way home from work, she remembered the day's Color Walk theme and started looking for matches in the passing scenery outside the window.
杨铮以自己为例。几天前，她在下班回家的路上晕车，她想起了当天的色彩漫步主题，开始在窗外的风景中寻找相匹配的颜色。

"Quite unexpectedly, it slowly relieved my motion sickness. In addition, I also happened to notice things that I had barely noticed before," she said.
"出乎意料的是，它慢慢地缓解了我的晕车。此外，我也注意到了以前几乎没有注意到的东西，"她说。

Hu, a 19-year-old university student in Lu'an, Anhui province, was drawn to Color Walk as a natural extension of his love for documenting life.
胡先生是安徽省六安市的一名19岁大学生，他被色彩漫步吸引，因为这满足了他对记录生活的热爱。

"It lets me record my days in a more interesting way," he said, adding that the activity's core appeal lies in its ability to arouse people's love for life. "We usually overlook many small details in our everyday life, like say a fire hydrant, which becomes more visible during a Color Walk themed 'red'. It makes our ordinary feel a little extraordinary."
他说："这让我以一种更有趣的方式记录我的生活。"他补充说，这项活动的核心吸引力在于它能唤起人们对生活的热爱。"我们通常忽略了日常生活中的许多小细节，比如消防栓，在以'红色'为主题的色彩漫步中，消防栓变得更加显眼。它让我们的平凡感觉有点不平凡。"

Xu Gaoyang, a psychotherapist at Beijing Anding Hospital of Capital Medical University, said the activity is a practical application of a psychological technique known as "grounding", which has two objectives — actively diverting attention and setting a small, controllable goal.
首都医科大学附属北京安定医院心理治疗师徐高阳表示，这项活动是一种被称为"接地气"的心理技术的实际应用，它有两个目标——积极转移注意力和设定一个可控的小目标。

"Think of our mood as an airplane. When it hits turbulence, 'grounding' helps it land steadily. By fixing our attention on something in the external environment — in this case, a color — we can quickly anchor ourselves in the present moment, leading to a sense of stability and calm," he said.
他说："把我们的情绪想象成一架飞机。当它遇到湍流时，'接地气'帮助它平稳着陆。通过将注意力集中在外部环境的某个东西上——比如一种颜色——我们可以迅速让自己扎根于当下，从而产生稳定和冷静的感觉。"

Physiological effects
生理效应

Xu noted that different colors can have varied physiological effects. Cooler tones, such as blue and green, tend to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, slowing heart rate and promoting relaxation. Warmer colors, such as red and orange, can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, boosting energy and alertness.
徐高阳指出，不同的颜色会产生不同的生理效应。较冷的色调，如蓝色和绿色，往往会激活副交感神经系统，减缓心率，促进放松。较暖的颜色，如红色和橙色，可以刺激交感神经系统，增加能量和警觉性。

Choosing a theme color and engaging with one's surroundings provides a sense of control and self-care that is often more significant than the color itself, he said.
他说，选择一个主题色并与周围环境互动会带来一种控制感和自我关怀，这往往比颜色本身更重要。

According to Xu, young people today experience a kind of "purpose fatigue", as they are inundated by achievement-oriented goals, career pressures and societal expectations. As a result, they are creating activities that seem purposeful, but at the same time are not very demanding and allow them the opportunity to relax, he added.
徐高阳称，如今的年轻人经历着一种"目标疲劳"，因为他们被以成就为导向的目标、职业压力和社会期望所淹没。他补充说，因此，他们正在创造一些看似有目的，但同时又要求不高，让他们有机会放松的活动。

Wang Wenda, director of psychological health education at Xinhua College of Ningxia University, said these small goals and actions activate the brain's drive, and the sense of achievement from completing minor tasks helps alleviate feelings of powerlessness while enhancing self-efficacy.
宁夏大学新华学院大学生心理健康教育教研室主任王文达表示，这些小目标和行动激活了大脑的动力，完成小任务带来的成就感有助于减轻无力感，同时提高自我效能感。

The popularity of Color Walk reflects a broader shift among young people, as it is a low-cost, easily accessible and achievable positive experience, Wang said.
王文达说，色彩漫步的流行反映了年轻人的一个更广泛的转变，因为它是一种低成本、容易获得和可以达成的积极体验。

"You don't have to wait for life to be perfect to allow yourself to feel good. You can use small actions to gain a sense of pleasure, relaxation and control. In an environment of intense competition and uncertainty, it allows people to carve out a small world of their own," he added.
"你不必等到生活完美才让自己感觉良好。你可以通过微小的行动获得愉悦感、放松感和掌控感。在激烈竞争和不确定的环境中，它可以让人们开辟出属于自己的小世界，"他补充说。

grounding /ˈɡraʊndɪŋ/ n. 接地气，立足当下

parasympathetic /ˌpærəˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/ adj. 副交感神经的

sympathetic /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/ adj. 交感神经的

self-efficacy /ˌself ˈefɪkəsi/ n. 自我效能感