Some say the reasons for their decision to stay in the city are far more than money matters.

Cheng Zhenhao, in his early 30s, is a native of Central China's Henan Province. He works as a carpenter at the construction site of the Shanghai Concert Hall.

He said he has decided not to go back to Henan and will spend his first Spring Festival away from his home.

"My major concern is that I cannot buy the tickets," Cheng said.

Cheng said his company had offered a week-long Spring Festival break from January 28.

"If I rush to the rail station to buy the ticket on January 28, it will take at least half a day for me to get the ticket. I will spend another day and a half on the road home," Cheng said.

Plus, with the time spent on the way back to work, Cheng can only stay with his family for about three days.

"That is definitely not enough for me to enjoy the warmth of my family," Cheng said.

Apart from this, Cheng said he is a newcomer to the city. He arrived in Shanghai in May and believes he should spend a little longer adapting to the new environment.

"If I go back home in such a short period, the comfortable family life will probably prevent me from returning to the work here," he added.

Cheng's wage is about 40 yuan (US$4.80) per day and his present income is much higher than he was earning while working in his hometown.

But Cheng insists the money is not the only incentive.

"I am young and I want to learn more skills and to know more about the outside world," he said.

Cheng hopes he can melt into the metropolitan society as soon as possible.

"Though I cannot go back home this Spring Festival, I am preparing New Year presents for my family," he said.

Cheng's three-year-old son has always longed for a miniature car and Cheng has bought one to fulfil his wish.

For his wife, he bought a silk scarf in her favourite colour of crimson.

He will also buy some healthcare items and nutritional food for his parents, in addition to the 200 yuan (US$24) he is sending home.

Ni Jing, 19, from East China's Anhui Province, is an office cleaner.

"The best present for my parents is that I appear in front of them just before New Year's Eve," she said.

She left home for her current job in Shanghai in September. "But I am always dreaming of going home," she said, trying hard to hold back her tears. "I miss my parents and two younger sisters very much."

Ni's parents and sisters are not asking for any gift though, but she has decided to take 1,000 yuan (US$120) home with her.

However, different from Cheng, Ni only regards Shanghai as a temporary working base.

Her ultimate goal is to make enough money to support her sisters through school, then go home and get married.

"I also miss the food my mother cooks very much, so I'm glad that I have the chance to taste it again," Ni said, which touched a nerve with one of her colleagues, Liu Qingrong.

"Though Shanghai's dishes are delicious, I still long to eat the food from my hometown. What a pity I cannot go back," Liu said.

Liu will not be going back home as it is always an arduous trip and hard to return to the city.

She went home to Anhui last year.

"Every day, my mother and I just counted the days that I had until I had to return to Shanghai," she recalled.

"I cried all the way back from home."

Liu said her son, who is a sophomore at a university in Shanghai, will go back home this time on her behalf.

Despite her decision to stay, Liu admitted she still faces a dilemma.

If she goes home, she cannot bear the sorrow of coming back to work.

"But I will have to tolerate the loneliness of spending the festival all by myself," she said.

(China Daily January 20, 2003)