Migrating workers bring back newcomers
Source: Xinhua |
October 10, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
XIE Qing found nothing to her liking when she first visited her husband's home in a remote northern village a year ago: The food was bland, the bed wasn't comfortable, and the air was too dry for a southerner.
"My mother-in-law doesn't eat spicy food and I don't like noodles. We have to eat separately, which is really bad," said 26-year-old Xie.
Xie's husband, Wang Chun, was born in Xiahu Village, an hour's drive from the seat of Chicheng County in north China's Hebei Province. In recent years, young villagers like Wang began leaving the land to seek a better life in cities, bringing home income as well as wives with totally different backgrounds.
"In the past, young people in the village had very limited marriage choices. They often found a mate in the vicinity, either in the same village or in a neighboring one," said Feng Yulin, village head.
More choices
"Since neighbors often share the same ancestors, people would jokingly say: 'Marry your relative or you get none,'" said Feng.
More than half of the village's 500-plus young people now work in cities.
"Now they find husbands and wives with varied backgrounds," he said.
Xie, born and raised in Chongqing City in China's southwest, met Wang in Shanghai in 2008 and married him two years later despite her parents' opposition. Xie doesn't have many misgivings about marrying a northern villager.
"We both worked in Shanghai. We met and had feelings for each other. It doesn't matter where he comes from," Xie said.
As China's economy soars the income gap continues to widen between those in rural areas and people in the cities. More and more rural Chinese are moving to cities to find better jobs. This increases their choices in relationships.
In Laozhazi village in Chicheng County, Nie Wenjun was one of the first villagers to marry a woman from outside the province.
"It was a rare event in the village." Nie said of his marriage in 1999.
"I had never thought of marrying someone from the outside. But when you go to the city, you see things and you meet more people," Nie said.
Eight wives in the village now come from other provinces.
"My mother-in-law doesn't eat spicy food and I don't like noodles. We have to eat separately, which is really bad," said 26-year-old Xie.
Xie's husband, Wang Chun, was born in Xiahu Village, an hour's drive from the seat of Chicheng County in north China's Hebei Province. In recent years, young villagers like Wang began leaving the land to seek a better life in cities, bringing home income as well as wives with totally different backgrounds.
"In the past, young people in the village had very limited marriage choices. They often found a mate in the vicinity, either in the same village or in a neighboring one," said Feng Yulin, village head.
More choices
"Since neighbors often share the same ancestors, people would jokingly say: 'Marry your relative or you get none,'" said Feng.
More than half of the village's 500-plus young people now work in cities.
"Now they find husbands and wives with varied backgrounds," he said.
Xie, born and raised in Chongqing City in China's southwest, met Wang in Shanghai in 2008 and married him two years later despite her parents' opposition. Xie doesn't have many misgivings about marrying a northern villager.
"We both worked in Shanghai. We met and had feelings for each other. It doesn't matter where he comes from," Xie said.
As China's economy soars the income gap continues to widen between those in rural areas and people in the cities. More and more rural Chinese are moving to cities to find better jobs. This increases their choices in relationships.
In Laozhazi village in Chicheng County, Nie Wenjun was one of the first villagers to marry a woman from outside the province.
"It was a rare event in the village." Nie said of his marriage in 1999.
"I had never thought of marrying someone from the outside. But when you go to the city, you see things and you meet more people," Nie said.
Eight wives in the village now come from other provinces.
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