Bad economy, nosy relatives: Young Chinese put off by Lunar New Year

"If I had the choice, I definitely wouldn't go back home," says Yuwen, a 33-year-old who has been unemployed for more than six months, days ahead of the Chinese New Year. Many of China's nearly 380 million internal migrants only go home once a year - and the Lunar New Year, the most important festival for family reunion, is usually the time to do it. After decades of breakneck growth, the Chinese economy is losing steam and the anticipated post-Covid recovery has not materialised. In the southern city of Shenzhen, fitness trainer Qingfeng has decided to go travelling by himself for the Chinese New Year. "Who doesn't want to go home to celebrate the new year? But I just feel embarrassed." Is is not just the economy that has prevented some young Chinese from wanting to go home for the festival. Yuwen, for his part, hopes that the next Lunar New Year will be better.