For young people striving away from their hometowns, their place of origin remains a constant presence in their hearts. They maintain connections with home, stay updated on local developments, and contemplate how to contribute to their hometown's growth in their own ways. During the Spring Festival this year, a survey conducted by the Social Survey Center of China Youth Daily in collaboration with Wenjuan.com polled 1,334 young individuals who have left their hometowns for work or study. The results revealed that 72.6% of respondents frequently keep in touch with family and friends, while 45.4% follow their hometown's media accounts.
To contribute to their hometown's development, 54.1% of the surveyed youth prioritize buying local agricultural products, supporting the regional economy through practical actions. Additionally, 48.7% create self-media content to promote their hometown's traditional culture, and 45.4% actively follow local media accounts.
Liu Qingtian, an 80s-born native of Dandong, Liaoning, has worked as a tour guide in Beijing for many years. "Before becoming a guide, my job was demanding, allowing me to return home only once or twice a year. As my parents age, I feel increasingly homesick. I switched to tour guiding for more flexible hours, enabling me to visit home every month or two," he shared. "Our family has a group chat where we share daily snippets—like interesting meals or street decorations—to keep everyone updated."
Zhang Ying, from Ganzhou, Jiangxi, makes it a habit to video-call her family weekly, cherishing her mother's chatter and local dialect. The survey highlighted various ways young migrants maintain ties with home: 72.6% communicate regularly with loved ones, 49.4% visit periodically, 45.5% document changes through photos or writings, 45.4% follow hometown media, 31.0% pass down local stories to the next generation, and 16.7% join online community groups.
Wang Yujia, a 90s-born respondent, uses hometown media accounts to stay informed about extreme weather alerts, which she forwards to her family. "Seeing new local eateries or attractions online helps me plan future visits," she added. Liu Qingtian focuses on hometown tourism accounts, exploring potential collaborations. "Dandong is expanding foreign trade, and I hope to contribute by leading tours or engaging in e-commerce," he said.
Over half of the respondents prioritize purchasing hometown agricultural products. Wang Yujia regularly buys local specialties like crisp pears and steamed pork, appreciating modern packaging that ensures freshness during delivery. She also teaches her children the local dialect and shares cultural stories.
Beyond consumption, 53.5% plan to offer remote professional support (e.g., design, e-commerce, legal services), 50.7% propose development ideas via social media or reports, and 48.7% promote traditional culture through content creation. Zhang Ying, for instance, shares photos of Gannan navel oranges on social media during harvest season, gifting boxes to friends.
Liu Qingtian is considering returning to Dandong to start a business, leveraging local specialties like blueberries, strawberries, and "soft dates" for juice and wine production. He also promotes his hometown to tourists and shares local cuisine online. Zhang Ying dreams of establishing a community library for children, emphasizing sustained connections with home.
Other aspirations include introducing external resources (31.7%), launching e-commerce ventures to boost local products/tourism (23.8%), and participating in grassroots governance (15.1%). The survey demographics included 21.0% post-00s, 50.1% 90s, and 28.9% 80s respondents, with 44.3% male and 55.7% female participants.
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