Teacher Liu, I went to my classmate’s rural hometown during the summer vacation and found life there very different from Beijing. People in the village walk slowly and talk leisurely, unlike the city where everyone seems to be in a hurry.

You observed very well! This is a typical example of China’s urban–rural divide. City life is fast-paced—people are busy with work, housing, and their children’s education—while rural life is closer to nature and moves at a slower rhythm.

Another big difference I noticed is that people in the village all seem to know each other. Neighbors often visit and chat, but in Beijing, I barely know my next-door roommate.

That’s because rural areas are ‘familiar societies,’ where everyone knows one another and human warmth is strong. Cities are ‘stranger societies,’ where people value personal space and privacy. Each has its pros and cons.

I also noticed that during Spring Festival, many city people return to their rural hometowns, and the train stations are packed. What’s that about?

That’s the famous ‘Spring Festival travel rush’! Hundreds of millions of people travel from cities back to their hometowns for the New Year—it’s the largest human migration in the world. It reflects the deep emotional bond Chinese people have with family and hometown.

The urban–rural difference really shows the complexity of Chinese society, where tradition and modernity coexist. It’s truly worth studying.

Exactly! Although the gap is narrowing, understanding these differences helps you better understand Chinese society and its values.