Mudik Trend Reverses During Chinese New Year, Parents Now Visit Children in Foreign Cities

Illustration of the reverse homecoming trend in China. (ANTARA)

CHINA - Changes in the lifestyle of the younger generation in China have also changed the way they celebrate the Chinese New Year. If until now the tradition of homecoming is synonymous with returning to the hometown to gather with the extended family, now a different pattern emerges, namely parents who actually come to the city where their children are wandering. This phenomenon is known as the term fǎnxiàng guònián or "reverse homecoming".

The trend is becoming more popular, especially among young workers who live in big cities. Data from Meituan Travel, an online ticket sales platform in China, shows that ticket sales for "reverse homecoming" trips in 2026 increased by 84 percent compared to the previous year. Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu were the main destinations during the Chinese New Year holidays.

This surge is also reflected in the increasing travel of elderly citizens to big cities. During the Lunar New Year holiday period this year, air travel by passengers aged 60 and over increased significantly, including to Beijing (up 40 percent), Chengdu (31 percent), Tianjin (30 percent), and Guangzhou (27 percent).

A number of major cities have responded to this trend by preparing various activities for residents who do not go home or families who come to visit. In Shanghai, for example, more than 2,000 cultural and tourist activities are scheduled during the Lunar New Year holiday. Meanwhile, Beijing held a lantern festival, cultural art performances, and bazaars spread across 26 locations.

Conversations about "reverse homecoming" are rife on social media. On Monday (9/2), this topic recorded 2.2 million views on Weibo. On the Xiaohongshu platform, a number of users shared their experiences inviting their parents to a foreign city.

A Xiaohongshu user from Henan who works in Shenzhen told his decision to invite his parents to his workplace. In addition to being able to gather for a longer time, he assessed that this way helps save travel, lodging, and consumption costs, which usually swell during the homecoming season.

Another user said that "reverse homecoming" felt more practical because there was no need to compete for tickets to go home, avoid fatigue from long-distance travel, and not have to visit many relatives in a short time. The Chinese New Year celebration was also considered to be more relaxed.

According to a Chinese state media report, the Deputy Director of the Economic Research Center at Central China Normal University, Hu Jiliang, assessed that this phenomenon has social and economic impacts. He said the "reverse homecoming" trend can strengthen understanding between parents and children living in the city and encourage economic turnover in urban areas.

Homecoming remains an important part of the Chinese New Year tradition. However, the way to celebrate it is now more diverse. In the 2026 Chinese New Year travel season, the total passenger movement is estimated to reach 9.5 billion trips, including 540 million train trips and 95 million air trips. In the midst of such mobility, "reverse homecoming" has become one of the alternatives that are increasingly sought after by the younger generation in maintaining traditions while adapting them to the realities of modern life.