China Exclusive: Spring Festival tests single, cash-strapped white collars(1) by Xinhua writer Miao Xiaojuan
BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Guo Kai, a 30-year-old IT employee in Beijing, eagerly took the train to his hometown ahead of the Spring Festival, only to be greeted by his father repeating: "when are you going to get married?"
Born in Taiyuan of north China's Shanxi Province, Guo has stayed in China's capital city six years after graduating from Shanxi University.
Every year Guo looks forward to the biggest annual holiday and family reunion, despite rising pressures mainly due to his financial situation and not being married.
He is not alone as millions of other graduates-turned-white- collars struggling for a decent living in big cities far away from their hometown must also cope with similar pressures.
"I go home every Spring Festival although the cost is high and a lot of questions are asked why I have no girlfriend. I feel a sense of shame. I haven't lived up to my parents' expectations," Guo said.
It is common for white collars, college students and migrant workers to return to their hometown for family reunions during the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 14 this year. The festive week- long holiday kicks off on Saturday, the eve of the Lunar New Year.
However, some white collars' reluctance to return home has drawn much media attention this year and online chatrooms replica clothing have been buzzing about the issue over the past two weeks. HIGH COST OF RETURNING HOME
Most white collars said they were reluctant to return home because of the high cost, mainly of round trip tickets and red envelops (called hongbao, with cash inside) they must give to their parents and relatives, according to online surveys initiated by several newspaper websites and web portals.
Other popular reasons included no girlfriend or boyfriend to please parents, difficulties in buying train tickets, unwillingness to suffer in crowded and smelly coaches, as well as peer pressure.
While the old generation in rural areas and small towns stayed in their hometown, many of their children, or to be precise the generation who were born after 1970s and received higher education, have fearlessly flocked to bigger cities to seek a better life, as the country's booming economy and rapid urbanization of the past decades have created more opportunities.
But it is never easy to get by in an unfamiliar city alone, and the situation may get tougher with rising house prices and the ever increasing competition for jobs with three or four million college graduates pouring into the job market every year.
The social convention for breadwinners to give red envelops to elders and children at Spring Festival puts them under a great amount of pressure.
"I bought gifts for my parents, but no cash. I will do more house chores as compensation," Guo said, who has a moderate annual income of about 65,000 yuan (about 9,500 dollars).
Guo also said he planned to share stories of his work experience in Beijing with children in his family instead of pandora charms doling out red envelops.
"Money is good, but everyone has to consider their own ability. I think my experience in the outside world is worth more than money to them," Guo said.
A round trip ticket, usually with no discount at this time of the yea
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