Taking the new year train
The world's biggest annual migration is getting started. Every year in China around 200 million people go home for the Chinese new year. 
Most of the new year travellers are migrant workers, people who've left poor villages in the countryside to find work in richer coastal provinces. Many of these workers can only afford to get home once a year - at new year. Most travel home by train.
I'll be joining some of these workers on their way back home. My colleague and I have bought third-class hard seat tickets on an overnight train from Beijing to the central province of Henan.
I'll let you know how our journey goes.
I’m 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~46~RS~)
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Getting talking to people on the longer train journeys was perhaps the best way to learn about people in my experience.
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take care
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This is a part of Chinese culture that westerners need to understand.Chinese people are basically inward looking ,family orientated not aggresive towards others.That has been the behaviour of China through the ages.It has not sought conquest or colonisation of others at a time when it could have easily done so,more than a 100 years before the earliest Europeans ever set foot into Asia or Africa and even America.Do not fear China's rise.it will be peacefull.It do not have any aggresive designs on others. The only situation that will provoke China will be a threat to its survival as a single country.
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Have a nice journey, James.
When I was a college student in Beijing, I traveled once from Beijing back home during the Spring festival rush period. After the ordeal, I decided never to do that again. For the rest of the 7 years during my stay in Beijing, I spent all of my 7 Spring festivals in Beijing, not with my family.
That was 20 years ago. I hope and think the situation has changed, particularly, after the high speed train network is in place.
Plus, James, your destination, He Nan, is too close to Beijing...It is only probably 2-3 hours trip via highspeed trains. You need to go to those areas where most migrant works come from, Sichuan...
This is the type of articles/stories I personally think worth reading and recommend.
As a journalist and blogger in Beijing, it is your personal experiences that will make this blog unique rather than political expressions that cater people from your home country.
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Well plan!!
I guess after you have this trip, you will understand why China can survive from wars, natual disasters, ... during the over 3000 years.
Because the people there are simply hard working, hard endurance, and very important enjoying there life in whatever situation.
Chinese people as well as the government know there are a lot to do to improve people's living standard in general, but it takes time.
China is a big book to read. To read and understand China, you need a bit open minded, the knowledge of history and the culture...
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Cannot agree more with bylooker.
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One thing needs to be pointed out. The train tickets are really cheap, most migrant works can afford to go home whenever they have time. Most of them travel only once a year not because they cannot afford the train tickets, but because they cannot afford/don't want to leaving their work.
Their jobs are not specialized, and can be filled out any time if they leave their work.
All the economy/nation is shut down during the Spring festival except communication, telecommunication and entertaiment. They have to go home, basically.
You need to pay more attentions to details, James. otherwise, it is easy for people to misunderstand.
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James finally decides to lay his eyes on ordinary poor Chinese. Good on you James. You get a thumb up from me-- an oversea Chinese.
Do not only travel on the train pls. Find a couple of them who are willing to take you home and visit the poorest rural area of China. HeNan is one of the poorest province in China. Find out what poorest villagers really want. If you still have to connect it to democracy, humanrights, freedom...... then find out what level of understanding the villagers have (reg democracy, humanrights, freedom) first.
Look after your self James. The pre and post springfestival train can be very overcrowded and lack of personal space. It is going to be an exauhsting task for you. You are showing some real journalism there to do the difficult work and investigate your self.
China is building a new train network. Hopefully you will still be in China in the next 5 years to try out the new network.
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So called "Spring Movement" is a long-time and difficult problem in China. Spring Festival is the most important festival in China and population is so large. Not only these "migrant workers" wanna go home, but also almost people in all walks of life, including students, various employees, civil servants, etc. Every year, the no is increasing. This year, the situation is harder because the 2 holidays(2 New Years) are very close and the flow of students and employees come up almost at the same time.
That is one of the basic situations China.
I believe any country on earth can't do any better than China if they were such kind of situation with so large population moving in the same time in relatively concentrated direction.
James, yes, you told the truth in China, but please don't just mntion the "migrant workers" and the poor & rich. In UK, there must be many people who can't afford travelling frequently--- of course not as many as in China--- every one knows Chinese population is the largest. Maybe, you can tell your readers the various ways Chinese get their tickets and going back home, how the migrant and some foreign students get help from realway station and other groups and how they celebrate the most important festival after arriving home.....
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I don't think bylooker knows much about Henan province. As this is a relatively poor part of China, there are a large number of migrant workers who go to larger cities to find work. James has picked the best place to speak to migrant workers. Henan is often ignored by central China government who prefer to spend money elsewhere in the country. High unemployment and poverty is found throughout this part of China. James will learn a lot of things from real Chinese people and I hope much of this finds its way onto the blog.
James, I hope you can visit Zhengzhou. It is a lovely city full of very friendly people.
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These people can only afford to go home once a year because they want to earn as much money as possible by working for as long as possible. It is not just money that they cannot afford, but it's the work time that they cannot afford to lose. It's nothing to do with the cost of train tickets or not being allowed to leave jobs early.
bylooker: It is unfortunately yourself that needs to "pay more attentions to details" as you have completely misunderstood James' message
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I once took the hard seat from nanchang to hong kong and after that I swore to never do it again. the extra 100 rmb for the bed was money well spent. We had 10 people trying to sit in 6 seats as well as hundreds of others sleeping in the aisles. Good luck to you and it is an adventure.
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James, I have to say you are telling the truth --- one of big problems that takes China a very long, long time to solve. However, please don't be complete. It's not just an issue of "migrant workers" or "rich and poor". Tell your readers the reason and the history and the real scope.....
Besides, I'm interested in what kind of train do you take. If it's an ordinary slow one, pls take care. You must have taken a lot of fast bus, train or plan in China but I do think you should have a different experience in a slow and rough train in this special time. You can learn something more about China and Chinese on this issue.
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One more thing, most Chinese don't go home frequently not because they can't afford but because they don't have enough time and some of them wanna save more money. Many Chinese tend to save some moeny in case of emergency. That's most Chiese --- hard working and saving.
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James, what will you be doing in Henan?
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Renee1112: Surely if you are asking James to cover all angles of a story you should add that Chinese people save hard because there is no Chinese welfare state and they need to pay for hospitals and schools?
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To Senlin:
A good welfare system can not be set up overnight. For a country with one fifth world population, a good welfare system is due to take time. Talking about welfare system for China is a bit too indulged. However, if you read chinese news carefully, you will see the government is trying to set up a basic welfare system benefical to the whole country (1.3 billiion people, one fifth of world population), even very naive people knows it takes time.
Only 60 years the current government comes to power, please give them another 60 years, you will see the difference.
Chinese will find the best solutions for them in the end, but the current western system is definitely poision to them. However, I believe chinese is clever enough knowing how to learn some good parts of them. This is the reason China has the Opening and Reform policy.
A clever country with clever people and smart government, you know what can be achieved.
Don't be jealous!
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Surely one sees that a complete welfare state promotes sloth and de-incentivizes achievement. China's learn this the hard way back in the 60's and 70's. China's correction from the extreme left is one that many European countries, esp. Scandinavia, will soon be making.
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I agree with many of the above posts. 'chinese dont go home often because they save their money'
The rising of china is based on these hard workers, who deserve more than some compliments from locan elites.
Throughout my stay in beijng these days, many college students drive elite cars. i.e. lamborgini. these people dont work hard but because of their parents i.e. mostly local officials. they attend good colleges, have better chance at competing compared to other students.
I think if china wants to have a positive growing up environments for its own people. they need to do something with it.
i.e. atm, all the hardworkers, people with talents originally from china working in the west because west can provide a clean, more transparent environment.
ps. nothing to do with Spring Festival
cheers
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To flibblesan,
I think we said exactly the same thing...My post #8 and your #14, except the last sentence. I don't know what James said. his message was to ambiguous and can be easily interpreted in two ways.
To Senlin,
Chinese people in the U.S., save the same percentage or more of their income. Japanese and Koreans save large portion of their income as well. There is a tradition and behavior aspect to it. And the lack of a stable and mature stock market where people can put their money into investment is another reason.
Welfare system is a challenge in the country side. However, as manpet puts it, time is needed. Everyone in China may complain about the medical system, the significant achievement of the Chinese medical system in the past 60 years is tremendous. You can vist United Nations Development Program (UNDP) website and find out an overall country development index, refered to as Human Development Index, and all related social and economical parameters.
Compare China with India for example: governed by a "totalitarian" government and a "democratic" government, both of which were established in the late 1940s. You will find India is about 20 years behind China overall (Human development Index), and far more behind China in all national health care and education parameters (you know how much China achieved in the past 20 years). China's welfare and education levels are higher compared to its national income per capital. India's welfare and education is lower than its national income per capital (which is about half of China's per capital income, by the way). This means that China achieved more in social care and education with its current economic ability. there are only a few countries that achieved this.
Plus, China suffered far more isolationism from the developed western world because of a difference political system.
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#21: If reform and opening hadn't started in 1978/ 1979 and things gone on like before, would you have supported that too? That's the impression I get.
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Xlban at #25,
You asked a great question. Would I go back in time to live and support the policy of the Chinese government of the 70s before the reform? I tell you no. most Chinese living today will probably tell you no.
But the Chinese people living today are not the same with those Chinese people living 30 years ago.
What was the majority of that generation like? They suffered West and Japanese occupation (by the way, these are the same people who criticize China’s human rights, using your logic. Somehow, it is the case, though. Like Chris Pattern, a colonial governor sent by the Queen is criticizing Hong Kong’s democracy situation as if he were elected by the Hong Kong people), they suffered the civil wars. Most of them were only grateful and happy to have their own country and start a new life. Their life expectance at birth should be 35 years without the communist government, same with their parents. Let's put today's Ethiopia as an example. You could only applaud that if 30 years later, that average Ethiopians could live to 75 years.
What have I lived through? I came from a poor family and my parents could not afford to buy eggs when I was young. So I was fed a lot of beans to compliment protein. But I got great and free education, including higher education and medical (as a student) almost free provided by the government.
The development of such a vast, poor, colonized, war torn country into a world power within 60 years obviously is not something you would consider trivial.
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And they want more kids. Can you see China with 1.8 Bn people going home all at the same time?
Make more babies outside China and like in Canada, make them only if you can afford them.
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Bravo, James. Can't wait to hear from you (and compared with my own experiences years back when I was a college student).
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James:
Take care for both you and your colleague on the train to Henan Province in China....
~Dennis Junior~
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James Reynolds:
I am sending my Happy New Years wishes to the people of China and Chinese citizens around the world.....
~Dennis Junior~
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James:
I hope that you will keep us updated on the time in Henan; During the Chinese New Year's Celebrations.....
~Dennis Junior~
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I hope you took a jam jar - theres hot water on board if you're lucky enough to find some before it disappears. Saying that though, I wouldn't drink to minimize the need to visit the lavatory. Not nice experience.
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Are you back yet? How was it like? I mum told me that my grandma can't come to our home for the holiday coz even the flight tickets are already sold out!...So it's hard to imagine what would be like trying to get a rail ticket~~~
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"My colleague and I have bought third-class hard seat tickets on an overnight train from Beijing to the central province of Henan."
Because of you and your colleague, at least two poor Chinese cannot get the third-class hard seat tickets to go back home to see their families. Maybe you should sit (or sleep) on the floor, give up your seats to the poor Chinese peasants who you so care about.
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tclim38: Please do not be so daft. New Year trains are often over-booked so having James and his colleague on the train will make very little difference, if at all.
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Mista Reynold, why don't u travel on 1st class? 1st class is for capitalism according to your theory, am i right. and gives up these two 3rd class tickets to the poor Chinese. i am sure u can afford da easily (or claim your expense back from BBC). peace up.
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Hi Bylooker,
I enjoyed much of your answer. I had been thinking that your previous post was one of those "50 cent" answers, so I stand corrected.
Free college tuition is no longer the case in China, which I learned from my students when I taught there. Some now might perhaps not be as grateful as yourself?
It's certainly true that compared to other one-party states that either collapsed or are living hells (North Korea, Burma), the Chinese government has indeed been smart in handling the country's economy.
Could I ask you though, with China's new direction economically, the lack of political change has enabled corruption on quite a large scale. I wasn't aware of much of it until I went to China myself. Does this frustrate you at all? Getting many things done, even if the law on your side depends more on guanxi/ connections: Does it make you question at all the government's position that no political change whatsoever is required?
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#38
What is it with these guys? The man travels 3rd class, and you call him down for taking seats from poor people.
The man travels 1st class, you call him a capitalist reporter who travels in luxury and who doesn't care about the plight of the poor people.
How about you make him walk all the way to Hennan province, would you be happy?
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Xlbfan
Allow me to comment on your astute post. I think all Chinese will agree that local corruption and lack of accountability is a central problem. But let me first say that quanxi and connections are not a uniquely Chinese matter. In the West we call it the "legacy" or "networking."
That said, I agree with the current reforms and experiments that are taking place in China right now RE: local rural elections and such. I believe the CCP recognizes that local accountability needs to be bolstered in order to suppress corruption.
Further, I believe that the key still remains grounded in a growth and application of law. China today is much like the US in the 1920's, a time of boom, without much order. Law must be uniform, reliable, consistent, and enforceable nationwide so that it is a sufficient deterent to such problems. To implement such change and policies on such a scale is, as you can imagine, tremendously difficult. This is why we Chinese, time and again, ask the West to be patient.
Look at how far we've come since the CR in the 70's. China is on its way to a better tomorrow, we just need a little time to get there.
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I hope you have had someone book your return train to Beijing, otherwise once you arrive in Henan you'll have a very tricky time getting out again! This time last year I was trying to get a train back from Harbin to Beijing, and we ended up having to wait 5 days for the next available seat on a train. And when we did get on the train, it was absolutely chocka.
10 hours overnight on a hard-seater is tough work, but I'm sure you've already done your fair share of hard-seater journeys and know exactly what to expect. Such a great opportunity to speak to normal Chinese people, though I'm sure you'll end up speaking English to some college students!!
Bring noodles!
??!
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James,
Let me report a news you purposely chose to ignore: our great leader Chairman Hu suddenly felt great brotherly love to the migrant workers stranded because all tickets were sold, and instructed CCP officials to use their brains to solve the problem.
You know what, now thousands of tickets previously declared sold become available in Guangzhou and other tickets windows! even the same day tickets!!!
Is it a miracle? I told you CCP and Chairman Hu are like saviors of the my people, and the whole world!!!! can you imagine China without CCP?
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To answer your question, James:
[Most of the new year travellers are migrant workers, people who've left poor villages in the countryside to find work in richer coastal provinces. Many of these workers can only afford to get home once a year - at new year. Most travel home by train.]
most people in china, only go home once a year because of the cost of transportation and often, they can not take time of from work....
~Dennis Junior~
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#39 Xlbfan,
I just presented some simple facts and quoted some data from UNDP's website and told some stories from my personal life. You then accused me of being paid to post these comments. I have to say, if I were paid, my comments well deserve that 50 cents. Where is the principle of "innocent until proven guilty"? one of the key assumptions in the judicial systems in a western democracy that you hold dear on your mouth so much? Can't you rebuke my comments with facts and figures? If this is the only way that you can defend yourself, i tell you, you loose the battle already. P.S. You are doing exactly the same thing that you accuse the Chinese government of doing during the culture revolution.
And even if the Chinese government is paying people to post pro-China comments, I can certainly understand it, because there are so many people who are paid to vilify China via media and the internet funded by foreign governments. They have a very nice title called Chinese dissidents, whose reputation is so notorious among oversea Chinese that they have big trouble recruiting new members. Stories on how these people compete funds are simply disgusting.
Corruption, I hate it very much. I suffered from it myself. Years ago, when my parents
applied passports in order to visit me, the official asked for a bribe. My parents refused and they won’t be able to get their passports. Well, later on, that official was found guilt of accepting bribes and embezzling public money and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Corruption is not a "Chinese Communist Party" problem, it has been there for thousands of years in Chinese history. And corruption is rampant in Malaysia, Philippine, Japan, Korea, Taiwain province (Republic of China), and even worse in the largest democracy in the world, India.
It is the toughest challenge faced by the Chinese government. If it handles well, the Party will continue enjoy support from most of the people. If it fails, all right, there are more than 30 dynasts in Chinese history to tell its leadership what is going to happen.
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@39
20 years ago, I was a college student. Our education was almost free. Plus, we lived in dormitory with central heating for free. Plus, we had full medical covers. Had a flu? Went to clinic to see a doctor for free and took medications for free. A classmate of mine sufferred a serious blood disorder and went through expensive treatment. It did not cost his family one single cent. For a poor country like China we were the most valuable members of the whole socienty. Did we appreciate it? We sat on Tian An Men square and refused to go when the government refused what we wanted. Today's Chinese youth are not that spoiled. They live in a real world. Has it ever come into your mind that why there has not been any large scale protests from Chinese students? Why there were so many Chinese students waving red flags on foreign soil during the Olympic torch relay? Why there were Chinese students shouting "get out of China" to those western kids who hold up a "free Tibet" banner on Tian An Men square during the BeiJing Olympic?
I will not give you my answer. You should find it out your self. Otherwise you would think that I am a "fifty cents party" member.
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Bylooker, I had merely been thinking that your statement "A clever country with clever people and smart government, you know what can be achieved." seemed to show unquestioning loyalty. As I already said, I stand corrected.
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Hi funnyanotherblogger,
I went to China largely due to curiosity about many of these things. I knew very well that the "Free Tibeters" would get a rough reception from more than just the police. Patriotism, victim mentality and face have been explained as some of the reasons many times by many people.
The medical treatment you describe wouldn't be free today would it?
Are you also saying that because of some of the good things the government does, everyone should look the other way when it comes to the bad? Today's youth live in the real world, they have seen that 89-style action doesn't work, rather than being spoiled, in my opinion.
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KrSund70,
Well said. When curious people ask me about such things here in Canada, much of what you say forms part of my answer. Look at the progress made thusfar, and to keep things simple I have said that China in the 70s bore a resemblance to present-day North Korea.
Human rights are still a problem, however the government used to engage in class struggle and the Gang of 4 said educated people were the enemy. I met a retired teacher who told me of the days when he was pestered for collecting stamps. My hope is that more progress comes, with a transition away from one-party rule which still has some friends of mine looking over their shoulder in anxiety.
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Xlbfan:
The main issue is, however, the fact that the West cannot, esp. at this critical time of change, attempt to push China too fast. Any overt or covert attempts to do so will be met with nationalistic backlash, by both Chinese in China and abroad, particularly with the important younger generation, which plays right into the hands of the Old Guard.
The CCP itself is changing, Hu and Wen and nothing like Mao. Deng himself was one of the greatest harbingers of change. Time and patience is what's needed. It's like making a great souffle. Hurry it and it will collapse on you.
That said, I think I would disagree with you RE: the one-party rule issue. I think change to the CCP itself, not the dead of it, is the answer. I have doubts as to the viability of American democracy in a country like China. China is best run by an enlightened CCP, an independent judiciary, and an accountability at the local level.
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KrSund70:
The counter protests if one can call them that to the Olympic flame protests certainly prove your point. Much of what happened in London, Paris, etc was rather sad to see.
Could you say how an independent judiciary would be possible with one-party rule? Quite a question I know, but I have trouble seeing how the 2 go together. I have certainly heard the wish for a more enlightened CCP before, and perhaps this is happening very gradually?
Perhaps Westeners get the CCP and the CPSU confused. The East Europeans brought their one-party systems down as its partly in their natures to fight back stubbornly, whereas in East Asia the preference for harmony means people try their best to make the best of things and work with the system while trying to tinker with it instead of bringing it crashing down?
If transitioning to multi-party democracy, the USA is the last country to emulate. I know that China would be smarter than that.
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@xlbfan
I suggest some more China trips and talks with ordinary Chinese.
If you are interested in the health care system I should say it is very long story. During the early stage of PRC, the government managed to set up basic healthcare for everyone. We saw lifespan of Chinese went up and while number of immature death dropped sharply However it was very basic cover. During the last 3 decades the Chinese government has tried almost everything. They first tried to copy the American system which caused the collapsed of the previous system. At one stage people were told to buy health insurance for themself. Then they found out the system is not the right thing for a large population with poverty still a huge problems. After that the government started to try to set up some covers for general populace. There are 3-4 times major policy changes with which there were tremendous problems. (Mainly too much abuse of the system by some and not enough protection for the poor). A stupid government? After so many unsuccessful attempts I think they have finally got it. A new universal health care system has been set up recently that gives people quite good level of cover for both inpatient and outpatient treatment. My parents are in their 70s, they are happy with the new system. Children and students get more previlliege from the new system than other age group. There are good and bad about the Chinese government, I think if one looks at the whole picture then there will be a balanced view. Western media does not show you the whole picture. They only show you the flaws, problems, and scandles. They are not interested to talk with ordinary Chinese because it does not help them to sell their papers.
"I went to China largely due to curiosity about many of these things. I knew very well that the "Free Tibeters" would get a rough reception from more than just the police. Patriotism, victim mentality and face have been explained as some of the reasons many times by many people."
There is one fact I want to point out. It is a fact that compare to the situation in 1989, the Chinese government has managed to turn the table around especially when it comes to Tibet and Olympic. Without a good grasp of Chinese culture and history the conclusion of patriotism, victim mentality and face is an easy answer. Sticking that label on the Chinese who do not agree with the west does not help to sell western value. Does it?
"Today's youth live in the real world, they have seen that 89-style action doesn't work, rather than being spoiled, in my opinion."
I think the whole population have learned from the past political movements. We had too many political movements.
Let me quote what One of the Tian An Men square Mum said.
"Will another spetacular movement save China? I do not think so. China's progress depends on the accumulated effort by every single Chinese, drop by drop."
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to #48 Xlbfan wrote:
" Bylooker, I had merely been thinking that your statement "A clever country with clever people and smart government, you know what can be achieved." seemed to show unquestioning loyalty. As I already said, I stand corrected. "
I never said that. Fortunately, you can check all of my posts by simply clicking my name. To make it seay, you can copy and past then into Word and do a search.
However, I don't feel shamed to show loyalty to my country and people.
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My apologies bylooker, it was someone else who said that.
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#53: Yes, victim mentality and face are easy answers. That is what I meant when I said that many people had said this on many occassions. Surely though, there is a degree of truth to them?
Of course there are other reasons, such as a history of history repeating itself, a history of a strong leader with absolute power whether an emperor of General Secretary, a vast improvement of today's China compared to the recent past, the principle of harmony, legalism, etc.
As an aside, on my most recent visit to China in September, I found that there are free consultations, but not treatment. I have lived there previously, and have spoken to plenty of people. There are more positives than many who've never been realize, but there are issues that are glossed over by unrealistically optimistic state domestic media.
Much of the western media is given to hyperbole and sensationalism as you say. I prefer it to the one-sidedness of CCTV though.
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I can tell what James will film or write for his train jouney.
Over-crowded trains
Harsh conditions
Rude train staff or police treating passengers harshly
Poor migrant workers who have lost their jobs in the economic crisis
And of cause a comparison to those who can afford better class seats or faster bullet trains will make the job even greater.
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The comments from many people who know China are generally positive, whereas the report from James lets the listeners understand that the situation in China is bad. Migrant workers do not go to the big cities because they have mortgage payments at home, but because they want to improve the life of their family. Sally Brundel the economy reportes keeps mentioning possible unrests because of the economy downturn. Nonsense. Migrant workers will stay at home, waiting for better times. There are jobs at home that their wives have lined up for them. There might be a point on the new graduates, who must get a job or lose face.
On Tibet. The working conditions of the Tibetan serfs were the same as in all feudal societies, in Mongolia, imperial Russia and elsewhere. Why do we choose to ignore that? I hope James will show us the labour laws in Tibet now and in 1948.
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You are doing a good job James. I just want to share this. I left China in 1973 when I was 12 years old and got back 22 years later for the first time. when I rode the train from Hong Kong to Guanzhou city. I had the pleasing feeling of traveling in China's most reliable way of public transportation.
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part of these workers can only afford to get home once a year(even several years) - at new year.
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the price of tickets is tooooo expensive to them
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