Billions of journeys are made every year in China during the Lunar New Year period, as people flock home to celebrate and catch up with family members. Here are just a few of those travelers, picked from one of the busiest train stations in China. <br />We'll start with Zhao Jianwen (L) and Gao Zaili (R), who are traveling back to Yuncheng, Shanxi province, with bags full of sausages from the meat factory they worked at over the past two years in Beijing.
Lunar New Year: Tales from a Beijing train station —
Billions of journeys are made every year in China during the Lunar New Year period, as people flock home to celebrate and catch up with family members. Here are just a few of those travelers, picked from one of the busiest train stations in China.
We'll start with Zhao Jianwen (L) and Gao Zaili (R), who are traveling back to Yuncheng, Shanxi province, with bags full of sausages from the meat factory they worked at over the past two years in Beijing.
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Married couple Wang Zhiyuan (R) and Wang Chenyang (L) from Baicheng, Jilin province, came to Beijing six years ago. Wang first studied in medical school and now works in a hospital's pharmacy in Chaoyang district. His wife sells massage machines.
Six years and home —
Married couple Wang Zhiyuan (R) and Wang Chenyang (L) from Baicheng, Jilin province, came to Beijing six years ago. Wang first studied in medical school and now works in a hospital's pharmacy in Chaoyang district. His wife sells massage machines.
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Li Canming (R) and Liu Shuxia (L) have lived in Beijing for 12 years. They're going back to Baotou, Inner Mongolia for Chinese New Year with their parents (center) and two children. The husband works in a factory making disposable tableware, while his wife does research for oilfields. Li is holding their 11-year-old daughter and Liu is holding their one-year-old son.
Return to Mongolia —
Li Canming (R) and Liu Shuxia (L) have lived in Beijing for 12 years. They're going back to Baotou, Inner Mongolia for Chinese New Year with their parents (center) and two children. The husband works in a factory making disposable tableware, while his wife does research for oilfields. Li is holding their 11-year-old daughter and Liu is holding their one-year-old son.
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Meng Fanjun, 63, has for six years sold a local food specialty in a small town to the south of Beijing, Hebei province, called Baigou. He is passing through the capital to transfer to another train to go home to Haicheng, Liaoning province.
Just passing through —
Meng Fanjun, 63, has for six years sold a local food specialty in a small town to the south of Beijing, Hebei province, called Baigou. He is passing through the capital to transfer to another train to go home to Haicheng, Liaoning province.
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Mr. Ma holds his 14-month-old daughter with his wife. He works in an IT company providing online training courses. After five years of saving, Ma recently bought a new home near Beijing and will move in after the New Year.
New family, new home, New Year —
Mr. Ma holds his 14-month-old daughter with his wife. He works in an IT company providing online training courses. After five years of saving, Ma recently bought a new home near Beijing and will move in after the New Year.
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Zhang Mengfei and his friends came to Beijing three years ago from the sacred Buddhist site of Mount Wutai in Shanxi province. They work in a barber shop and beauty salon and will return there after the New Year.
Wutai homecoming —
Zhang Mengfei and his friends came to Beijing three years ago from the sacred Buddhist site of Mount Wutai in Shanxi province. They work in a barber shop and beauty salon and will return there after the New Year.
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(L to R) Tang Zhiyuan, 61, Tang Zhongliang, 58, and Ding Wendong, 32, came to Beijing a year ago from Haicheng, Liaoning province. They work in logistics. Mr. Ding's bag is full of new clothes he bought for his family members. Mr. Tang, balancing a huge bag on his shoulder, bought some Beijing roast duck for the New Year's Eve dinner.
Pack light? Yeah right —
(L to R) Tang Zhiyuan, 61, Tang Zhongliang, 58, and Ding Wendong, 32, came to Beijing a year ago from Haicheng, Liaoning province. They work in logistics. Mr. Ding's bag is full of new clothes he bought for his family members. Mr. Tang, balancing a huge bag on his shoulder, bought some Beijing roast duck for the New Year's Eve dinner.
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Cai Dongping (R) came to Beijing from Southern China's watery city of Shaoxing in Zhejiang province six years ago. He works in a factory assembling home electronic devices. Cai's wife is holding their three-year-old child and his mother accompanies them.
Watery return —
Cai Dongping (R) came to Beijing from Southern China's watery city of Shaoxing in Zhejiang province six years ago. He works in a factory assembling home electronic devices. Cai's wife is holding their three-year-old child and his mother accompanies them.
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Zhai Xixi (R) and her friends are sophomore students at China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. The 20-year-olds hope to be painters. They're returning to Linfen in Shanxi province.
Painterly prognosis —
Zhai Xixi (R) and her friends are sophomore students at China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. The 20-year-olds hope to be painters. They're returning to Linfen in Shanxi province.
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Li Hangyu (center) with his five-year-old son, his wife and sister. For the last four years they have run a small business in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province.
Family reunion —
Li Hangyu (center) with his five-year-old son, his wife and sister. For the last four years they have run a small business in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province.
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Du Shuxiang (L), 46, came to Beijing from Heilongjiang province three years ago. She works in a pickle factory. She is accompanied by Wang Zhiyou, a sanitation worker who came to Beijing seven years ago from the same town in Heilongjiang province as Du. Wang will wait to go home after New Year's Eve as he couldn't get a ticket to travel in advance.
Not everyone travels —
Du Shuxiang (L), 46, came to Beijing from Heilongjiang province three years ago. She works in a pickle factory. She is accompanied by Wang Zhiyou, a sanitation worker who came to Beijing seven years ago from the same town in Heilongjiang province as Du. Wang will wait to go home after New Year's Eve as he couldn't get a ticket to travel in advance.
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Stylish 25-year-old Li He is in the wardrobe wholesale business. Originally from Harbin, Li came to Beijing two years ago.
Fashionable traveler —
Stylish 25-year-old Li He is in the wardrobe wholesale business. Originally from Harbin, Li came to Beijing two years ago.
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Wang Xia (L), 30, and Xie Guangxia (R), 28 are sales workers in a garment shopping mall. They've been working in Beijing since they left Anhui province 10 years ago.
A decade on —
Wang Xia (L), 30, and Xie Guangxia (R), 28 are sales workers in a garment shopping mall. They've been working in Beijing since they left Anhui province 10 years ago.
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Xu Mei, a 43-year-old mother from Rizhao, Shandong province, is a part-time restaurant worker in Beijing. She might not travel for New Year again next year, as her daughter is taking college entrance exams and they hope to spend more time together during that critical year. She bought a pink Hero pen and an English Text book as New Year gifts for her daughter and says Communication University of China is her daughter's dream school. Her standing-only ticket means she will spend the 12-hour journey home on her feet.
Mother's 12-hour shift —
Xu Mei, a 43-year-old mother from Rizhao, Shandong province, is a part-time restaurant worker in Beijing. She might not travel for New Year again next year, as her daughter is taking college entrance exams and they hope to spend more time together during that critical year. She bought a pink Hero pen and an English Text book as New Year gifts for her daughter and says Communication University of China is her daughter's dream school. Her standing-only ticket means she will spend the 12-hour journey home on her feet.
charles miller/cnn