Spring Festival travel rush dates back to ancient China but only for rich and powerful

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Fran LuFebruary 19, 2026 at 02:00 AM

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China's Spring Festival travel rush, known as "chunyun," is the world's largest human migration, expected to generate 9.5 billion passenger trips this year (February 2 to March 13). Its origins may date back to the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC) with the emergence of the term "guo nian," meaning spending the New Year. During this period, the Spring Festival was celebrated with rituals for a good harvest. The tradition of family reunions during this time also emerged, reflecting the Confucian value of filial piety. In ancient times, travel was limited to the rich and powerful, who used horses and carts for their annual pilgrimages. The chunyun reflects the history and development of China’s transport networks.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Guo nian 60% Confucian value of filial piety 70% Zhou dynasty 80% China ×390% Spring Festival ×290%

Keywords

spring festival travel rush 100% chunyun 90% family reunion 70% chinese new year 70% ancient china 60% filial piety 50% transport networks 50% guo nian 40%

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Neutral

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South China Morning Post

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85%

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China

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spring festival travel rush chunyun family reunion chinese new year ancient china filial piety transport networks guo nian

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