When asked why he moved to New York, John Lennon simply said: "If I'd lived in Roman times, I'd have lived in Rome. Where else?" Today, for young Chinese workers, Beijing and Shanghai are Rome.
In February, an article titled Why Do I Choose Big Cities Over My Hometown? was widely circulated on social networks.It resonated with millions of working men and women who waved goodbye to their parents and hit the road back to Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.
The author expressed his eagerness to return to Shanghai, where he had worked for five years, after being forced by his family to come back to his hometown, a third-tier city in Northwest China. Once there, he found it difficult to blend in.
"Shanghai is a magical city. It values only effort, regardless of where you are from whereas here in a small town, your family background is pretty much everything," the author, Wang Yuancheng, wrote.
"I couldn't agree more with him," said Yang Wei, 30, who quit his job in his home city, Urumqi, and traveled 3,000 km back to Beijing where he earned his bachelor's degree.
"I made my choice for two reasons: to reunite with my girlfriend and to seek a career breakthrough."
Yang was working for a State-owned telecom operator in Urumqi, an enviable position for many, but he said he couldn't bear the idea that his life would be "done" so quickly.
"Yes, it was easier to buy an apartment because of the lower prices, but that was it. I would be living the same life all the way to retirement," he said. "Promotions were mostly tailored for relatives of senior management."
Now working for a leading IT company, his fourth job in Beijing, Yang oversees operations in South America and Africa. His salary has increased fivefold from five years ago. "I'm making more than a regional manager in my old company," he said.
Although he now spends two hours a day commuting, and buying an apartment still seems a distant goal, Yang said he will stick with Beijing because "there are all kinds of possibilities within reach".
According to research by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing is the second-most "unlivable" city among 40 major global cities because of its severe air pollution. But Beijing's population rose by 2 percent in 2013, reaching 21.1 million, while Shanghai's hit 23.8 million in 2012.
According to a recent poll of Beijing office workers who came to the capital from other provinces, 80 percent don't regret the move, though 70 percent said they were concerned by surging housing prices, traffic jams and air pollution.
"Economic and social disparities between inland provinces and coastal areas are the key reasons for this paradox," said Zhou Haiwang, deputy director of the Institute of Population and Development under the academy.
As China shifts gears to innovation-driven growth and valued-added industry, the high-end manufacturers and service-based companies will provide promising job opportunities for the well-educated, Zhou said.
"But such a change is mostly happening in tier-one cities, whereas in small towns, jobs that pay well are mostly limited to State-owned enterprises or government bodies," he said.
Moreover, he said, people in big cities are more careful to observe laws and regulations compared to those in small towns, and business activities are more market-oriented. Both factors explain why young graduates with a good degree but little family background are drawn to Beijing and Shanghai.
"And they are willing to sacrifice some aspects of their own happiness for a better future for the next generation in big cities," Zhou said.
But a secure foothold in first-tier cities seems to be more difficult to attain.
"The public services offered by major cities, such as education and healthcare, have not grown at the same pace as housing prices," said Ren Yuan, a professor at Fudan University's School of Social Development and Public Policy.
Lower-income groups have fewer resources, and it is becoming more difficult for the younger generation to settle down in first-tier cities.
"Second-tier cities near Beijing and Shanghai might be a better choice for young graduates in the future," Zhou said.
