Full coverage: 2017 Spring Festival

Long queues appear before every railway entrance at Taiyuan South Railway Station, with passengers waiting for the security check. Many say they bought their return tickets in advance, before all the tickets sold out.

While some are happy to have a ticket in hand, some are in tears and reluctant to say goodbye. The station personnel are very considerate and have prepared a telephone booth for those who must face more separation.

It's an inescapable problem facing most young people: What to choose -- fighting for a better future in the big city, or living a comparably stable, if limited, life at home with family.