The Rhythm of The Rails

Convenient, cheap, many stops—slow trains, with these merits, still chug their way across China in the era of the high-speed railway.

The train is like a small society. Many locals take it to attend regular fairs in nearby towns. Some carry baskets of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Some drive their pigs and sheep onto the train’s designated livestock carriage, where they are greeted by a cacophony of ducks, geese and chickens.

During the hours before and after school, the train is packed with school children making either a daily or weekly commute to primary or middle schools.

It is also common to see a bride, veiled