Staff members of the Shijiazhuang Railway Station pour hot water into passengers' cups during the Spring Festival travel rush in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, in the year of 1984. Returning to hometowns remains the most important part of the Chinese Spring Festival. Whether self-driving, or taking the trains or flights, homecomings and family gatherings are a priority for many Chinese. The annual travel rush around the festival, known as "chunyun," often puts the country's transportation system to the test. China's transport authorities are busy getting ready for the Spring Festival travel rush starting Jan. 21 this year, with 3 billion trips expected to be made. (Xinhua/Zhao Liansheng)