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HSK 6 · Fluent

怀旧为何流行Huáijiù wèihé liúxíngWhy Nostalgia Is Popular

HSK 6 reading practice · 194 words · ~3 min
近jìn几jǐ年nián,从cóng老lǎo歌gē翻红fānhóng到dào复古fùgǔ穿搭chuāndā盛行shèngxíng,怀旧huáijiù俨然yǎnrán成chéng了le一yì种zhǒng潮流cháoliú。
In recent years, from old songs becoming hits again to retro outfits sweeping the streets, nostalgia has, it would seem, become a trend in its own right.
有yǒu趣qù的de是shì,最zuì热衷rèzhōng于yú怀旧huáijiù的de,往往wǎngwǎng不bú是shì经历jīnglì过guò那个nàge年代niándài的de长辈zhǎngbèi,而是érshì从未cóngwèi亲身qīnshēn经历jīnglì过guò的de年轻人niánqīngrén。
Interestingly, those most keen on nostalgia are often not the elders who actually lived through that era, but young people who never personally experienced it at all.
心理学家xīnlǐxuéjiā指出zhǐchū,这zhè种zhǒng现象xiànxiàng并非bìngfēi对duì某mǒu个ge具体jùtǐ年代niándài的de向往xiàngwǎng,而是érshì对duì确定性quèdìngxìng的de渴望kěwàng。
Psychologists point out that this phenomenon is not really longing for a specific era at all, but rather a craving for certainty.
在zài一yí个ge变化biànhuà过guò快kuài、未来wèilái难以nányǐ预测yùcè的de时代shídài,一yí个ge被bèi简化jiǎnhuà、被bèi美化měihuà的de过去guòqù,显得xiǎnde格外géwài安全ānquán。
In an era of overly rapid change where the future is hard to predict, a simplified, idealized past appears especially safe.
换句话说huàn jù huà shuō,年轻人niánqīngrén怀念huáiniàn的de并非bìngfēi真实zhēnshí的de过去guòqù,而是érshì一yí个ge被bèi剪辑jiǎnjí过guò的de版本bǎnběn:只zhǐ留下liúxià温暖wēnnuǎn,剪掉jiǎndiào了le艰难jiānnán。
In other words, what young people are nostalgic for is not the real past, but an edited version — one that keeps only the warmth and cuts out the hardship.
值得zhídé注意zhùyì的de是shì,适度shìdù的de怀旧huáijiù并bìng非fēi坏事huàishì:研究yánjiū显示xiǎnshì,它tā能néng增强zēngqiáng归属感guīshǔgǎn,缓解huǎnjiě孤独gūdú情绪qíngxù。
Notably, moderate nostalgia is not actually a bad thing: research shows it can strengthen a sense of belonging and relieve loneliness.
然而rán'ér,一旦yídàn怀旧huáijiù变成biànchéng逃避táobì现实xiànshí的de借口jièkǒu,就jiù容易róngyì让ràng人rén陷入xiànrù一zhǒng“过去guòqù总zǒng比bǐ现在xiànzài好hǎo”的de幻觉huànjué。
However, once nostalgia becomes an excuse to escape reality, it easily traps people in the illusion that "the past was always better than the present."
真正zhēnzhèng健康jiànkāng的de怀旧huáijiù,应该yīnggāi是shì带着dàizhe过去guòqù的de温度wēndù,坦然tǎnrán地de走向zǒuxiàng未知wèizhī的de明天míngtiān。
Truly healthy nostalgia should carry the warmth of the past while calmly heading toward an unknown tomorrow.
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Key words 生词

翻红fānhóngto become popular again
俨然yǎnránseemingly; as if (formal)
确定性quèdìngxìngcertainty
剪辑jiǎnjíedited; cut (as in film)
归属感guīshǔgǎnsense of belonging
幻觉huànjuéillusion

Grammar note 语法点

并非…,而是…

A formal way to negate a common assumption before offering the real explanation: 'is not really A, but rather B'. Stronger and more literary than 不是…而是…. 例:他的沉默并非冷漠,而是深思。

这种现象并非对某个具体年代的向往,而是对确定性的渴望。 — This phenomenon is not really longing for a specific era, but rather a craving for certainty.
值得注意的是,…

A formal opener meaning 'it's worth noting that...', used to introduce a nuance or complication after making a point. 例:值得注意的是,压力并非总是坏事。

值得注意的是,适度的怀旧并非坏事:研究显示,它能增强归属感,缓解孤独情绪。 — Notably, moderate nostalgia is not actually a bad thing: research shows it can strengthen belonging and relieve loneliness.
一旦…,就…

'Once A happens, B follows' — introduces a turning point where something positive can tip into something problematic. 例:一旦失去信任,就很难重新建立。

一旦怀旧变成逃避现实的借口,就容易让人陷入“过去总比现在好”的幻觉。 — Once nostalgia becomes an excuse to escape reality, it easily traps people in the illusion that the past was always better.

Check yourself 小测验

1. According to the text, who is most often keen on nostalgia?
2. What do young people's nostalgic memories keep and cut out, according to the text?
3. What does the text say true, healthy nostalgia should look like?

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