China has increased transportation capacity in its air, highway and railway systems to handle a busier 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which is set to begin on Monday and expected to see 9.5 billion cross-regional passenger trips.
Each year during the period, millions of people working, studying, or living away from their hometowns return for the Spring Festival, China's most important traditional holiday, forming the world's largest annual human migration.
The railway network in China has geared up to meet the growing travel demand. It is capable of scheduling over 14,000 passenger trains per day during the peak period of the travel rush, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.3 percent in transportation capacity.
"By analyzing data flows, we are now capable of tracking passengers' demands and dynamically managing transportation capacity in areas such as ticket purchasing, waitlist management, and transportation capacity adjustments so that the transportation resources will be used more effectively to meet passengers' travel needs," said Zhang Zhiqiang, head of the operation support department at the China Railway 12306 Technology Center.
During the travel rush, China's civil aviation sector is expected to schedule an average of 19,400 flights per day, increasing by 5 percent year on year.
Helping meet capacity, a new terminal was put into test operation at Sanya Phoenix International Airport on Sunday to facilitate smooth travel in the island province of Hainan, which is a popular tourism destination for people from home and abroad during the Spring Festival holiday.
The country is also expected to handle record-high daily self-driving trips and highway traffic volume during the travel rush period.
The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on February 17 this year. The official holiday lasts nine days, with the travel rush running through March 13.
China increases transportation capacity to handle busier Spring Festival travel rush
As the Year of the Horse draws near, artists across China are bringing the beloved zodiac symbol to life through time-honored crafts and contemporary expression, offering a vivid tribute to the courage, hope and heritage that the animal represents.
Since China Global Television Network (CGTN) launched its "All Things Horses" challenge, creative entries have been flowing in from home and aboard, transforming the horse from a simple zodiac sign into a universal emblem of strength, progress, and human imagination.
In Luoyang, central China's Henan Province, the ancient art of Sancai, or tri-colored glazed pottery, is galloping into the new year. Under the skilled hands of Guo Aihe, director of the Luoyang Sancai Art Museum, a ceramic horse took shape stroke by stroke on a plate, its flowing glaze conjuring the image of a steed striding through clouds and mountains.
His colleague, deputy director Guo Jiaqi, demonstrated how a vibrant red-glazed Sancai horse comes to life through meticulous craftsmanship.
Elsewhere, painter Zhu Changqi captured the equine spirit with expressive ink wash paintings. Through fluid, layered brushstrokes, he conveyed both the grace and the restless energy of these animals, inviting viewers to feel their galloping soul.
In the blessings associated with the Year of the Horse, the phrase "taking the lead" represents not just speed and precedence, but also the courage to innovate and forge ahead in changing times.
Artist Zhang Yang has been devoted to painting horses since his youth. Through frequent sketching trips to Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and other regions, Zhang has created a vast collection of horse-themed artworks.
His painting "Taking the Lead" features a powerful black horse galloping freely across the grasslands, leading a herd toward their shared destination. This piece not only embodies the strength and speed of the horse but also serves as a metaphor for those who boldly forge ahead and drive progress forward.
CGTN's "All Things Horses" challenge sparks wave of creativity among Chinese artists
