Chinanews.com, Beijing, January 17th (Reporter Yuan Xiuyue) The Spring Festival in 2023 comes particularly early. In January, the wanderers who are abroad will start to return home one after another.
This is the first Spring Festival after the epidemic prevention and control entered a new stage.
Officials predict that the total passenger flow during the Spring Festival travel season this year will be about 2.095 billion, an increase of 99.5% over the same period last year, and return to 70.3% of the same period in 2019.
During this Spring Festival, many families have achieved long-lost reunions, and people welcome the Lunar New Year with expectations.
At Beijing West Railway Station, returning passengers set foot on their way home with their luggage.
Photo by Yuan Xiuyue
"Celebrating the Difficulty of Reunion"
On the ninth day of the Spring Festival travel season in 2023, as the railway station with the largest passenger traffic volume in Beijing, Beijing West Railway Station ushered in a day of rising passenger traffic.
On this day, a total of 41.141 million passengers were sent by railways, highways, waterways and civil aviation across the country.
Li Xia, 53, is one in 41.141 million, and her destination is Yibin, Sichuan.
Li Xia has been engaged in the catering industry in Beijing for more than 20 years. For her, it was the same whether she returned home or not during the Chinese New Year.
"Because the holiday is short, it takes two days and two nights on the light road, not to mention the expense, and the motion sickness is uncomfortable when running back and forth."
When she was young, she worked outside the home, and it was common for her not to go home for the New Year for two or three years.
Parents are also considerate and always advise her not to go back.
Because of the epidemic in the past two years, she stayed in Beijing during the Spring Festival.
However, some time ago, when Li Xia told her mother again that she could not go home, her mother was a little unhappy.
"She felt a little uncomfortable. She is old and not in good health. Now she is looking forward to my coming home. Later, I said that she is happy again when I go home." Li Xia said that this year, most of the migrant workers around her returned home. It's Chinese New Year at home, and she will stay for more than ten days when she goes back this time, to spend more time with her mother.
The waiting hall of Beijing West Railway Station.
Photo by Yuan Xiuyue
The 60-year-old Chen Liqiang is most concerned about his children. He has done interior decoration in Beijing for more than 20 years. In previous years, he normally returned to his hometown Luohe for the New Year.
He is very happy that the family can finally celebrate the festival together this year, and said that this year's New Year will be more grand.
Chen Meng, who went home early for the New Year, can clearly feel that this year's New Year's flavor is stronger.
"Because I haven't been home for several years, there are a lot of people going to the market to buy things. They are all celebrating the difficulty of reunion. My family also prepared more New Year's goods than two years ago."
During the epidemic, 31-year-old Chen Meng ushered in an important change of identity and became a mother.
Since the child was born, the family has not been home for the New Year.
During the Spring Festival this year, she and her husband chose to drive back to their hometown in Xuchang from Beijing early.
In the past few days, the old man is very happy, and the children are running and playing around.
Tourists write their wishes on rabbit-shaped "wish cards" to pray for the new year.
Photo by Tang Yanjun
“The bowl of rice noodles that I miss the most in my hometown”
For the Chinese, the Spring Festival is the most solemn festival of the year. People who have been busy for a year stop to rest, feel the joy brought by the long-lost reunion, and soothe the faint nostalgia in their hearts.
Luo Peng, from Yuxi, Yunnan, has been in Beijing for six or seven years.
He and his brother-in-law opened a handmade shop in Beijing. They didn't go home for the New Year in the past two years. This year, his brother-in-law is still in Beijing to look after the shop, and Luo Peng took the high-speed train home alone.
Luo Peng said that there are many folk activities in their hometown during the New Year, such as dragon and lion dances, stilt walking, etc. During the New Year, there are also New Year greetings, New Year's Eve, and supper, which is very lively.
But what he misses the most is a bowl of rice noodles from his hometown, which can’t be eaten in other places.
After entering his thirties, his parents have been worrying about Luo Peng's major life events. In previous years, he escaped the marriage urge because he didn't go home for the New Year. He teased that this year he couldn't escape.
At Beijing West Railway Station, returning passengers set foot on their way home with their luggage.
Photo by Yuan Xiuyue
Chen Liqiang also has two major events when he returns home this year. One is to see his 6-month-old grandson. Before returning home, he specially bought a car for his grandson online.
The second is that the youngest son will be engaged during the Chinese New Year this year, so he has to make arrangements at home.
The custom in their hometown is that they got engaged in the same year and got married in the same year. If they got engaged during the Chinese New Year, it would be best to get married at the end of the year.
Now there are no restrictions on holding weddings in his hometown, and he wants to get his youngest son's marriage settled as soon as possible.
For Chen Meng, there is nothing special to do this Spring Festival, because it is relatively early to go home, and the New Year's goods are also bought at home.
She plans to go back to her natal home a few more times, spend more time with her parents, and cherish the time she spends with her family.
If there is a chance, the family will take a family portrait in their hometown.
The waiting hall of Beijing South Railway Station.
Photo by Yuan Xiuyue
new expectations
In the past three years, the COVID-19 epidemic has repeatedly delayed, making many people realize the importance of good health.
In the reporter's interview, many interviewees said that the biggest good news this year is that "the whole family is 'healthy'", "the family is safe and sound", and "the elderly at home are in good health".
"In the three years of the epidemic, there are joys and sorrows. Every family is different. In the past three years, our family has been doing well in general, and my family is safe and sound. I am already very happy." Chen Liqiang said, doing them This business is prone to accidents, so how much money you earn is not as important as living in peace and health.
Li Xia is also concerned about her work. She revealed that in the past few years, the epidemic has had a relatively large impact on the catering industry. "The boss has no business, and the employees have no wages. It is a bit difficult to earn money."
With the adjustment of the epidemic prevention and control policy and the recovery of the catering industry, their work has gradually improved.
At the same time, the business of Luo Peng's handicraft shop is gradually improving, and there are obviously more customers in the shop. He hopes that the business will get better and better next year, and it is best to open a branch in Beijing.
On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the last Sunday holiday before the Spring Festival, shopping malls and streets in Shanghai are filled with a prosperous and festive atmosphere, attracting many people to come to experience the taste of the New Year.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Tang Yanjun
In 2022, Zhang Yue was admitted to a graduate student majoring in finance at a university in Beijing.
At the postgraduate stage, it is necessary to go out for internships to increase practical experience, but due to the impact of the epidemic, internship opportunities have decreased.
He hopes that in the future, there will be a better result in internship and employment.
The reporter noticed that at the press conference of the State Council Information Office on the 17th, the National Bureau of Statistics stated that as the economy improves and employment demand expands, jobs will increase accordingly. In 2023, my country's employment situation is expected to improve overall.
In addition, the relevant person in charge said that as the epidemic prevention and control enters a new stage, various policies are continuously implemented, the order of production and life is expected to be restored faster, and the endogenous driving force for economic growth will continue to accumulate and strengthen.
New year and new atmosphere, the Spring Festival is approaching, to have a good year and to have a good omen in the coming year has become the common expectation of all people.
(At the request of the interviewee, the name of the person in the article is a pseudonym) (End)