Warmhearted residents open doors to stranded travelers
County in Gansu offers every assistance to those trapped in snowstorm
Sun Guangzheng had previously driven through Guazhou county, Gansu province, without giving it a second glance.
However, a sudden snowstorm last month changed his perception of the area.
“Being stranded there for one night, I immediately sensed the warmth of local people. Next time I pass through, I must be sure to return their kindness,” Sun said.
Guazhou is situated southeast of Hami, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, with the Lianyungang-Horgos Expressway, an essential land route for entering Xinjiang, passing through the area.
During the Spring Festival peak travel period, traffic was held up on Feb 17 by strong winds and heavy snowfall.
With a permanent population of 130,000, of which 50,000 are urban residents, Guazhou found itself playing host to a large number of travelers whose vehicles were stranded on the expressway.
With visibility dropping to less than 20 meters, and 5 centimeters of snow covering the road, police implemented traffic controls from 5:30 pm. They helped drivers and passengers from stranded vehicles leave the expressway at the nearest toll station, or park at service areas to avoid potential danger.
Sun, 35, who comes from Heze, Shandong province, and was returning to work in Korla, Xinjiang, said, “Before the police advised us to leave the expressway, two fellow travelers and myself had been driving at snail’s pace for 11 hours, covering only 100 kilometers.
“As the temperature had dropped to below minus 10 degrees Celsius, we were fortunate not to have to spend the night on the expressway.”
The authorities in Guazhou introduced emergency response measures. They quickly organized accommodations and other services, with hotels, gyms, schools and local residents opening their doors to house the travelers.
The local government reported on WeChat that as of 1:11 pm on Feb 18, the county had housed some 25,000 travelers at 93 temporary accommodation points, including hotels, schools, gyms, community service centers, nursing homes and private homes.
Sun said: “From government officials to ordinary citizens, everyone made an effort to assist travelers who were unexpectedly stranded. Numerous volunteers braved the cold to escort them and provide support for those in need.”
After leaving the expressway, Sun and his fellow travelers were taken to a stadium by staff members and volunteers.
Sun posted a message on the Douyin video-sharing platform warning netizens to avoid driving in the area. Shortly after doing so, he saw a post from a local resident offering spare rooms to accommodate the travelers.
“The rooms were offered by a couple and their son who own a restaurant. The family was incredibly kind, providing us with blankets, food and drinks. Another family of three also stayed at their place that night. The locals were really helpful,” he said.
Messages spread
Many local residents posted messages on social media platforms to help the travelers.
“My family provides free accommodations suitable for a family of three,” one message read, while another stated, “If you haven’t found a place, we can offer one for free.”
Messages and requests to help the travelers spread quickly on social media, attracting nationwide attention.
Kou Zhen, 34, and his group of four were on their way from Lanzhou, the Gansu provincial capital, to Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang. Around 11 pm, they left the expressway and stayed in Guazhou for the night.
They were assisted by Li Shengyi, a local resident.
Kou said: “Li was not in town, but after a brief conversation, he gave us the location of his newly decorated apartment. His sister gave us the key and provided us with bed linen and also with breakfast the next morning. I was deeply moved by this complete trust in strangers.”
Hua Zhixiong, 29, who comes from Guizhou province, was traveling to work in Xinjiang with his wife, mother and 6-month-old baby. After conditions on the road deteriorated,
Hua decided to leave the expressway in Guazhou.
“After seeing us traveling with a baby, staff members helped accommodate us at the home of local resident Shi Fuyu. They provided us with a room and hot food,” Hua said.
“The local people are incredibly kind. I felt they were willing to do everything they could to accommodate stranded travelers. Walking along the streets, you could hear residents telling travelers that if they had nowhere to stay, they could come to their homes.”
To ensure those stranded were housed properly, the local government was quick to designate several middle schools and a gymnasium as temporary accommodation areas.
The authorities also mobilized personnel to form service teams to provide free fast food, hot water and other supplies, along with medical care.
The information office in Guazhou reported that as of 10 pm on Feb 17, the county had coordinated with hotels to provide 6,000 beds, with schools to offer 1,700 dormitory beds, and with hotels to provide temporary rest areas in meeting rooms and dining halls.
One of the accommodation points, Guazhou No 2 Middle School, hosted more than 780 people who were stranded.
Lu Zhifeng, a teacher at the school, said, “I remember there was a similar situation of people being stranded about four or five years ago, but it wasn’t on the same scale and didn’t happen as suddenly as this one.
“Some teachers brought the stranded travelers to their homes, with one teacher hosting nine individuals.”
Lu added that he brought one young couple with a 16-month-old child to his home.
That night, as there was insufficient bedding at the school, the teachers brought their own for the travelers, with residents donating dozens of sets of bedding at the school gate.
“Some people were also offering bedding for 50 yuan ($6.94) per set, basically with no profit,” Lu said.
He added that he was deeply impressed when the travelers left on Feb 18, as they neatly folded the bedding in the dormitories. Some also stayed behind for three hours to help clear the snow, which was about 10 cm deep.
Some restaurants, training institutions and other private venues also volunteered to accommodate those who were stranded.
After learning about the situation, art school principal Liu Lin immediately returned to the school to provide shelter for more than 200 people.
Social media used
Local resident Wang Yang posted a message on WeChat Moments, stating: “Due to the blizzard, the hotels are full. My family can provide a free room suitable for a family of three. The address is …”
When Wang’s post reached Xu Weiming, who comes from Shiyan, Hubei province, and was stranded on the snowy streets of Guazhou, Xu hesitantly called Wang. To his surprise, Wang invited him and his group to his home.
Xu said: “We were provided with the master bedroom, fresh bed linen, slippers, toiletries and hot tea. Later, seven more guests arrived. Despite the lack of space, Wang managed to accommodate them as well.”
Wang said: “It’s not easy when you’re away from home. As residents of Guazhou, we are willing to do whatever we can. It was like having 11 relatives over for the holiday.”
Next morning, Wang and his wife prepared breakfast for their 11 guests, who laughed and chatted together before leaving in the afternoon.
Wan Youhui, a Guazhou native, was preparing to drive to Xinjiang on Feb 17, but was advised to turn back at the expressway exit when he noticed many travelers were stranded.
Wan, who runs his own media account, said, “I quickly realized that they might need a place to stay overnight.”
After immediately spreading this news online and calling local residents for help, Wan triggered an overwhelming response. A video produced by Wan attracted 783 comments, with many people, including hotel owners, offering help in finding free shelter and food.
Wan and his colleagues acted as intermediaries — connecting stranded travelers with locals offering shelter, and updating information on government relocation sites.
In a second video, Wan expressed his gratitude to local people and businesses. Many stranded travelers left comments, with one stating: “Guazhou is the most kindhearted city I have experienced. Within a radius of 200 km, no hotel rooms were available, but a kind person knocked on our car window late at night and asked if our family of five needed a place to stay.”
Respect gained
As the snowstorm subsided, the travelers began to leave Guazhou at noon on Feb 18.
The warmth and generosity they experienced in the small county won the respect and admiration of many, drawing attention to the area.
Numerous netizens expressed their appreciation, with some stating, “From now on, we have an extended family in Guazhou.”
After bidding farewell to the travelers, the Guazhou county authorities sent a letter of apology to them on their WeChat account.
The letter stated: “Due to the unexpected wind and snow, Guazhou hosted 25,000 stranded individuals. If you encountered any inconvenience during your stay, we apologize and ask for your understanding. We invite you to return to Guazhou when spring arrives.”
The letter also listed the county’s attractions.
Guazhou is home to the Yulin Grottoes, a key national cultural heritage site often referred to as the “sister” of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu.