No Way Out: Lack of Education Traps China's Rural Youth

HUNAN PROVINCE, China -- Li Qiang's wedding cost his parents what in rural Southern China amounts to no small fortune. They saved for years, his butcher father bleeding the money out of pigs and his own tired hands. And for 80,000 RMB ($10,000) they threw a three-day bash complete with live musicians, professional grade fireworks, the slaughtering of two fattened pigs and enough food, drink, and cigarettes to satiate 500 guests..

But Li is still a disappointment to his parents. The booming Chinese economy, with its double-digit growth, has opened doors for millions of young Chinese, but those like Li who never got a college education find themselves struggling to keep up with the competition. In fact, though thousands of his peers are following the Gold Rush into the cities, Li finds himself going against the tide -- making the long trek back to the village.