Millennials are breaking away from the tradition of coming home for the Lunar New Year and creating their own celebrations insteadFollowing a long tradition, many Chinese travel long distances to celebrate the Spring Festival. But millennials are increasingly bucking the trend and making their own plans.
On February 10, the Lunar New Year, Yu Meiling chose to travel by car with friends instead of reuniting with her family. This isn't the first time she's skipped the trek home.
Coming home for this occasion doesn't excite me anymore," said Yu, a 32-year-old marketing professional from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. As a child, she loved the simple rituals of the Lunar New Year: home decorations, firecrackers, and feast after feast. Not anymore. "With so many entertainment options available today, I'd rather travel and have a quiet holiday. ”
Like Christmas, Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions. Traditionally, people gather for a hearty dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve and then visit relatives during the week-long holiday.
It has sparked the world's largest human migration, with millions returning to their hometowns and cities, where a labyrinth of celebrations rooted in centuries-old regional traditions await. One of these traditions is known as Chunyun, which is a 40-day period with billions of trips taking place. Some experts estimate that the 2024 season will bring record movements, spurred by the lifting of pandemic restrictions over the past few years.
Ms. Yu is part of a growing group of Chinese millennials who are making other plans and shrugging their shoulders for the Spring Festival. Changing family dynamics, new lifestyles and economic pressures have upended some holiday traditions, and many young Chinese are crafting their own celebrations.
No. 400 million, most Chinese millennials came of age during China's boom in the 2000s. And this generation – many of whom are college-educated and the only children in their families – don't always follow the old playbook because they abandon the traditional values that their parents hold onto. This may peak during the Chinese New Year, as the Lunar New Year is often referred to as the Lunar New Year in China.
The Lunar New Year has sparked a massive wave of migration across China and people gathering with their families, and as a result, some millennials see the holiday as an extended holiday that doesn't have to involve family gatherings. On China's tourism ** hornet's nest, a user asked: Is it unfilial piety to travel alone during the Spring Festival? The majority of respondents said no. The post garnered over 1 million views and more than 6,000 answers. "During Chinese New Year, traveling is more fun than being bored at home, isn't it? The user wrote after asking the question.
Millennials' fear of the holiday stems in part from the fragility of family relationships. Hu Xiaowu, an associate professor at Nanjing University in eastern China who studies urban issues, said: "The independence of young people has destroyed family relationships due to urbanization and social mobility. "Traditional Chinese family relationships do not emphasize personal boundaries, which can be seen through the excessive attention and domineering behavior of elders. This is also part of the reason why young people are afraid of the Chinese New Year.
Many Chinese millennials have left their hometowns and moved to big cities in search of better opportunities. Nonsense, an individualistic lifestyle, combined with the stress of living in a big city, often leaves them with little time or interest in talking to their families. According to a survey conducted by Hu in 2022, young people between the ages of 18 and 30 interact with their relatives less often than their older peers. According to the survey, most respondents born after 1990 indicated that they only interacted with relatives "occasionally".
They want to know what you do and how much money you're making. If you are married, they will ask you when you plan to have children. Imagine being interrogated by a spy agency - Yu Meiling.
One reason Yu especially wants to avoid family and even neighbors this year is because she is single. She said her family was always eager to play the role of matchmaker, and that snooping would get especially intense during the Chinese New Year. No problem being too private. They want to know what you do and how much money you're making. If you're married, they'll ask you when you're going to have children," she said. "Imagine being interrogated by a spy agency.
The economic slowdown won't help. In recent years, companies have laid off employees and cut benefits. Underemployment is widespread even for those who are working. And the real estate market, which nearly three-quarters of Chinese household wealth is tied down, is in turmoil.
Bill Bishop, who writes the China-focused newsletter on Sinoism, expects a mixed mood for this year's festival. "This is the first New Year's holiday since 2019 without the shroud of the pandemic," he said. "On the other hand, how many people will talk about how much money they've lost on **, or lost their job, or their wages and benefits have decreased, or who they know? ”
On Zhihu, a Chinese Q&A platform, users have posted reasons why they won't be home for the Lunar New Year in 2024. A write simply, "no money".
Not everyone will avoid going home, but many will change their behaviour and attitude when they return home" For some, setting aside 3,000 yuan (£330; $432) to go home to see family, after considering train tickets, clothes and gifts, can be a financial burden," said Zach Dechtwald, founder of young China Group, a market insight and management consulting firm. "And you want to come back triumphantly, not with your tail between your legs. ”
Not every young millennial is running away from traveling home, but not all of them travel with open arms.
Yu Meiling, a 29-year-old freelance product manager in the eastern city of Hangzhou, will return to her ancestral village with her husband. She was doing the usual, time-consuming preparations: stuffing red envelopes for her mom, dad and sister for 1,000 yuan each (£110; $140). According to tradition, the couple also bought wine and cigarettes as gifts for other relatives.
However, this year's expectations and financial burdens are weighing on her. She feels increasing pressure to save face, a Chinese concept of saving face for the sake of social prestige and status. In Yu Minhong's world, this can be demonstrated by the gifts that a person brings or even the outfits that a person chooses to wear. To elevate the cotton, the couple will be driving home this year in their recently purchased new car.
In the past, the gifts we bought during the Lunar New Year were almost the same. Things are simpler, because the standard of living is more or less the same for everyone. Now, as the gap between rich and poor widens, we often compare ourselves to others when we go home for the holidays," she said. "I'm not particularly fond of Chinese New Year. But I'm going home with my husband this year because I want to save face for my parents.
Whether it's a young man like Yu Meiling looking for a way home or a path open like Cassidy Yu, the Lunar New Year looks increasingly different.
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