Together, 故乡 (gùxiāng) literally translates to “old village” or “former home region.” This combination creates a powerful image of a place from one's past, a place of origin that remains a core part of one's identity even after moving away.
In Chinese culture, 故乡 is a concept steeped in emotion and identity. For centuries, China was a largely agrarian society where generations of families lived in the same village. Your 故乡 was not just where you were born, but where your ancestors were buried and where your family name was known. Comparison to “Hometown”: In the West, a “hometown” is often just the place where you grew up. While people may feel affection for it, it doesn't typically define one's core identity in the same way. An American might say, “I'm from Chicago, but I'm an American.” In China, the local identity is much stronger. Someone might say “我是四川人 (Wǒ shì Sìchuānrén - I am a Sichuanese person),” identifying with their provincial origin first. Their 故乡 is the anchor of this identity. This concept is amplified by modern China's massive internal migration. Millions of people leave their rural 故乡 to work in bustling megacities. This separation creates a deep, collective feeling of longing to return, especially during major holidays like the Spring Festival. The annual travel rush (春运, Chūnyùn) is a national pilgrimage back to the 故乡. This feeling is a central theme in Chinese literature, most famously in Lu Xun's iconic short story 《故乡》 (“My Old Home”), which explores the bittersweet feeling of returning to a hometown that has changed.
故乡 (gùxiāng) is considered more formal and literary than its common synonym, 老家 (lǎojiā).