Hukou is a red book or a piece of paper which says an individual's basic info. It gives an individual the legal right to live a city and receive coinciding social benefits including medical treatment, social welfare, housing, children's education, house, car purchase and even applying for a driver's license..

The household registration system divides the population into "agriculture" and "unban" sectors. It has imposed strict limits on ordinary Chinese citizen changing their permanent place of residence. Without a city hukou, life is difficult. Non-local graduates are discriminated against because of hukou when hunting for jobs, as most employers are unable to give them a hukou.

 

I am not a Beijinger. So I need to apply a temporary residence permit if I want to work and live in Beijing, like a foreigner does. When I was looking for a job here, I noticed that a lot want ad says "people with a local hukou only". I am not sure if Beijingers are truely smarter than people form other cities. But I know it is much easier for a local student to get into university than students from other cities, too.

 

Anyway, under these circumstances, people who are not locals have less and less jobs to choose from. It is even more difficult for females as we are often discriminated against also because of our gender. Many of my friends choose to go back to hometown even though the work environment is not as vibrant and competitive there. Meanwhile, some people are trying hard to get a Beijing hukou Which is like trying to get "green card". It just sounds sad to me..

 

I remember a friend told me that, "My dog is a Beijinger. I am not."