When it comes to the Spring Festival, the elements that come to the minds of many older friends are basically the following: green trains, crowded waiting halls, noisy station squares, and a long journey. But nowadays, many of the "classic" images are only frozen in memory, scattered into scattered fragments. Because in the land of China, where the high-speed rail is galloping, it is difficult to see those bitterness and sufferings again in today's Spring Festival, and instead of going home with a smile.
The 2024 Spring Festival has begun for a week, we visited Guangzhou South Railway Station, Guangzhou Railway Station and Guangzhou Baiyun Station, which is newly opened to welcome guests, and the passenger flow we saw was still turbulent, and it was still the standard Spring Festival expression, but the spacious and clean waiting hall, the orderly entry gates, and the clear and concise train number broadcast swept away the tension and chaos. Whether it is a "heavily armed army" with large bags and small bags, dragging children and daughters, or backpackers traveling lightly, people who embark on a journey have a kind of relaxation and calmness that can be seen with the naked eye. This change makes going home for the New Year full of happiness and excitement that it should have.
Deng Bo, a famous photojournalist of Yangcheng Evening News, said not long ago in his review of his photographic works in the 20 years of the Spring Festival that the way home is no longer far away. Indeed, not only has the geographical distance been greatly shortened by the huge upgrade of transportation and infrastructure, but the psychological distance between each homebound wanderer and his family and hometown has also been greatly reduced compared to before. And all this has happened in just 20 years.
Of course, during today's Spring Festival rush period, tickets for popular routes are still in demand, and there are still people who need to "go home on a curve", but they have long been away from the anxiety and hard work of the year, and whether they can go home for the New Year is no longer a challenge. In the past 20 years, the Spring Festival has gone from making us sweat and do our best to smiling, and the day when it truly becomes a joy should be not far ahead.
Text: Liang Keyi.