By Chris Buckley
Scores have died in snow-related accidents in the run-up to the Lunar New Year break, one of the greatest annual migrations of humanity, with the traditional travel chaos compounded by the coldest winter in 100 years across vast swathes of south, central and eastern China.
Chenzhou, a city in the central province of Hunan and the worst hit, began its 12th day without power on Wednesday.
More than 5,000 electricians, including 2,000 summoned from other provinces, were struggling to repair damaged power lines and pylons.
"Chenzhou residents have to collect coal and charcoal to warm themselves, which caused the prices to surge tenfold."
Rising prices of coal, vegetables, pork, rice and other staples have added to the holiday misery, but the sea of travellers waiting for trains, especially in Guangzhou in the south, had cleared.
"Millions of Chinese had to say 'sorry' to their loved ones," Xinhua said.
"At night, it's like a blanket of darkness," said Pan Zhengkai, adding that families ate their dinner at 4 pm before darkness set in.
But the holiday preparations continued, including a group of small boys and young men, roosters under their arms, getting ready for a cockfight.
"The biggest problem has been keeping the children warm at night," said farmer Ye Xiaoling in the farming and manganese mining area of Wanshan.
She also said the children had complained they would not be able to watch the traditional state TV entertainment special, often described as the most watched television special on Earth, later on Wednesday night.
