Afraid to go home for the New Year

Chunyun, (春运; Chūnyùn), also referred to as Spring Festival travel season, or Chunyun period, is a period of travel in China with extremely high traffic load around the time of the Chinese New Year.

“Afraid to go home for the New Year”, a song written by He Puxian a drifter singer from Hubei became popular on the Internet recently. In Late January 2011, He Puxian was moved by a family of three walked 266 kilometers home for the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) because they were not able to buy train tickets. He spent three sleepless days and nights to write the song “Afraid to go home for the New Year” to express the inner feelings of depression of the hundreds of millions Chinese migrant workers.

Translation of the lyrics:

The sound of trains outside of the window keeps me awake at night

Looking at the shabby room, another year has passed

Not many days till the Spring Festival

But who can hear the sadness in my heart?

Every time I light up a cigarette at this time

Thinking about home town and mother, as if they are in front my eyes

So want to go home for the New Year, but also afraid to go home for the New Year

It is so tough to make a living away from home

Afraid to go home for the New Year

Not because the distance is too far

Only because I have no money in my pocket

Not going home for the New Year

Not that I don’t want to reunite with family

So many hard years, it is so difficult to find a job

The greetings from the phone make me uneasy

I feel sad listening to my parents’ encouragement

How far am I from the day of success?

But who will share the pressure on my heart

Every time I weep alone

Thinking about already a leftover man or leftover woman

So want to go home for the New Year, but also afraid to go home for the New Year

How many people will finish singing this song?

Afraid to go home for the New Year

Not that I don’t miss my home

Only because income of the ants in the city is so pitiful

Not that I don’t want to reunite with family

Roaming with no money no house and no career

How can I go home to face the loved ones and ancestors?

Lyrics

窗外的火车声又让我失眠
望着破旧的小屋又住完一年
离春节的日子已经没有多远
可是我心里的苦闷有谁能听见
每当在这个时候习惯点支烟
想起家乡的老母仿佛又在眼前
好想回家过年 又怕回家过年
为了梦想在外闯荡实在太艰难
不敢回家过年
不是因为路途太遥远
只因为我的兜里也确实没有多少钱
不过回家过年
不是不想和家人团圆
多少年的寒窗，找工作咋就这么难

电话里的问候声又让我不安
听着爸妈鼓舞的心里发酸
离成功的日子呀 还有多远
可是我心里的压力 有谁能分担
每当在这个时候孤寂悲叹
想起个人的问题已是剩男剩女
好想回家过年 又怕回家过年
有多少人能听我把这歌儿唱完
不敢回家过年
不是因为不想念家园
只因为我是城市的蚂蚁收入太可怜
不敢回家过年
不是不想和家人团圆
没钱没房没事业流浪
怎敢回家面对亲人祖先。