A passenger in the hard sleeper car on the train from Chengdu to Lanzhou January 23, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passenger in the soft seat car on the train from Chengdu to Lanzhou January 23, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers smoke while they wait for the train from Chengdu to Lanzhou to leave Chengdu January 23, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers board the train from Chengdu to Lanzhou in Chengdu January 23, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
The view out the window of a soft sleeper as a passenger boards the train from Chengdu to Lanzhou January 23, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers arrive at the at the Chengdu train station January 23, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers at the Chengdu train station January 23, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Tang Liu, 60, takes a dip in the frigid waters of Houhai Lake Sunday evening in Beijing January 6, 2013. He does this everyday to help prevent illness.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A group of friends form a train of skaters on Lake Houhai on chairs fitted with skates and a converted bicycle in Beijing January 6, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A mouther and daughter make their way around a frozen Houhai Lake on chairs fitted with skates in Beijing January 6, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Friends make their way around a frozen Houhai Lake on chairs fitted with skates in Beijing January 6, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Huang Liu in the village of Wukancun, China January 9, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Deputy Director of the village council Hong Ruichao in the village of Wukancun, China January 9, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers lineup outside Guangzhou railway station to board their train January 10, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers outside Guangzhou railway station pass the time by playing cards as they wait to board their train in Guangzhou January 10, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers outside Guangzhou railway station wait for their train January 10, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A couple says goodbye outside Guangzhou railway station January 10, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers line up outside Guangzhou railway station to board their train January 10, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Train attendants make their way through the Guangzhou South railway station January 11, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A train conductor waits for the last of the passengers to board at the Chenzhou West railway station in Chenzhou January 11, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A train conductor stands at attention as he checks the trains departure time at the Guangzhou South railway station in Guangzhou January 11, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Passengers board a high speed train the Guangzhou South railway station in Guangzhou January 11, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A train pulls into the Guangzhou South railway station in Guangzhou January 11, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A train conductor announces the arrival of a train at the Guangzhou South railway station in Guangzhou January 11, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
Cleaner Xia Guoxin works at the Guangzhou South railway station January 11, 2013.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail