In January of 2012 we took our second trip around China during my winter break at the university. These 6 weeks culminate with the Chinese New Year celebration known as "Chūnjié" or the "Spring Festival" and is marked by the world's largest migration as over 2 billion Chinese return home to spend the new year with their families.
The PBS documentary, Last Train Home, tells a compelling story about the Zhang family, who left their children as infants to take jobs as factory workers in the city of Guangzhou. The sacrifice they made for their children is characteristic of many Chinese families and the film is honest, intense and at times heartbreaking.
The film can be viewed here:
For more information about the movie, check the PBS website: www.pbs.org/pov/lasttrainhome
The first stop on our trip was Nanjing a city which has served as China's capital numerous times throughout its history and whose current name reflects this. 南 (nán) is the character for "south" and 京 (jīng) for "capital city". Nanjing lies just to the south of the Huai River which serves as the dividing line between north and south China and between central heating and nothing. Needles to say, it was cold.
The PBS documentary, Last Train Home, tells a compelling story about the Zhang family, who left their children as infants to take jobs as factory workers in the city of Guangzhou. The sacrifice they made for their children is characteristic of many Chinese families and the film is honest, intense and at times heartbreaking.
The film can be viewed here:
For more information about the movie, check the PBS website: www.pbs.org/pov/lasttrainhome
The first stop on our trip was Nanjing a city which has served as China's capital numerous times throughout its history and whose current name reflects this. 南 (nán) is the character for "south" and 京 (jīng) for "capital city". Nanjing lies just to the south of the Huai River which serves as the dividing line between north and south China and between central heating and nothing. Needles to say, it was cold.
