Millions of male workers who leave their rural homes to work in large cities can only have sex with their wives for a fortnight every year. At least 47 million women live in rural China while their husbands work away - leaving them desperate for intimacy when they return. 'All I can think of when returning home for Chinese New Year is sex,' one migrant claimed. And now a series of photographs, taken in Shangnan County in Shaanxi Province, has captured the moment many of these migrants return to their own bedrooms. Wang Libao (right) and wife Zhu Chunlian (left): When Mr Wang is away, his wife and children sleep on a 1.5-metre-wide bed. But when he’s home, the two children are sent to stay with grandparents . Wang Libao, 34, and his 30-year-old wife, Zhu Chunlian,  got married in 2003, according to a report by People’s Daily.   . Mr Wang works in a gold mine in Lingbao, Henan Province, in central China. He said that because he does not visit his wife in their three-bedroom house very often their two children are sent to stay with grandparents when he returns. Although he has been back for a few days, Mrs Wang said she is already trying to persuade her husband to stay for three more. Wu Maojiang (left) and wife Wang Xiaojing: Mr Wu says he spends about 20 days with his wife every year . Similarly Wu Maojiang, 36, only gets to spent 20 days with his wife Wang Xiaojing a year. The couple got married in 2006 and have a daughter, 8, and a five-year-old son. In 2013, Mr Wu spent ¥36,000 (£3,820) buying a five-bedroom house for his family. But as Mr Wu has works away, including in Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan provinces in central China, it is his father who lives with his wife and children. Jiang Quanbao (right) and wife: In order to support the entire family, Mr Jiang has been working even though he is very sick . But for some couples it is not just working away that prevents sex. Work injuries are also common as migrants choose to take on dangerous, but high-paid, jobs such as coal mining. Jiang Quanbao, 45, works at different coal and gold mines. He does not get to spend much time with his wife, who he married five years ago. A few years ago Mr Jiang was suffering from back pain when his body collapsed. The doctors told him he had kidney stones and would require surgery. Mr Jiang said he and his wife now don’t have sex life because of his poor health. Qiao Chengfeng (right) and wife Zhang Juan (left): Mr Qiao, who got pneumoconiosis from long-time mining, cannot go out for work any more. Due to health, he has not had sex with his wife for two years . Qiao Chengfeng used to work at different mines. He is suffering from pneumoconiosis and doesn't have the strength to lift a bag of rice. The 31-year-old said although he sleeps with his wife Zhang Juan, 27, every day on the same bed, he has not been able to have sex with her for two years. On hearing this, his wife, who he married in 2005, turns around to weep. Jiang Kun (left) and wife: Mr Jiang and his late father are both miners. He has decided to stay at home for two more weeks in order to spend time with family . Jiang Kun, 31, who is also a miner, said the reason many men spend so much time away from home is because it is not possible to feed the whole family by working in a nearby factory. He added that this decision was made despite many men being aware of the dangers of coal mining. Mr Jiang’s wife is two years younger than him. The two have a nine-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter. He said he decided to return to work after the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day after Chinese New Year, because he wants to spend more time with his family. Huang Jiao (left) with her daughter and mother in law their house. Ms Huang's husband left home in central China on the eighth day of Chinese New Year to return to his factory in southern China . But it is not just couples who have been together for years that are affected. Huang Jiao, 26, got married around six months ago. Her husband works in an electronic factory in Guangdong in southern China and earns some ¥3,000 (£318) every month. Ms Huang said every year she only has opportunity to ‘be with my husband’ for a handful of days – the same applies for most of her female neighbours. Zhu Xianshun (left), whose wife died 14 years ago, is taking care of his paralysed mother-in-law. He has given up the idea of re-marrying . Zhu Xianshun, 64, has been supporting his wife’s parents since his wife died 14 years ago. His father-in-law passed away and his mother-in-law, 85, is now paralysed. Mr Zhu, who has four children, thought of re-marrying but has given up the idea. He says no woman would want to marry a man like him. Yang Fan (left) and wife: The couple married three years ago and now have a little daughter . Yang Fan, 22, married wife Chuan Zhenzhao in May 2012 and now have a little daughter. Mr Yang did not graduate high school as he went out with his father to work. Because they both are working in coal industry, the family is financially stable. The Yang family even bought a pickup truck – a luxury for people with his background. Mr Huang (right) and his wife: Mr Huang suffers from pneumoconiosis while his wife and daughter work in Xi'an . Mr Huang, 48, suffers from pneumoconiosis. He got the disease from working in coal mining and was diagnosed in 2009. In 2014 he developed a more serious illness. Mr Huang says that this disease cannot be cured and many of his colleagues have died. His wife Chen Qiuqin and his daughter work in Xi’an, the provincial capital of Shaanxi. His youngest son is studying in a university in Xi’an. The bedroom of Zhang Chengjun, 28, who works as a welder in Guangdong . Zhang Chengjun, 28, shows his bedroom. Mr Zhang works in Guangdong and is a master of welding. He left home with his wife and four year old son. Mr Zhang father says long-term separation is not an option for young couples. Although it’s expensive to support the wife and child in the city, the family will be more stable and the couple happier.
At least 47 million wives live in rural China while husbands work away . Chinese New Year is the only chance for them to 'be with' husbands . Pictures were taken in Shangnan County in central China . Mining is the most common job for migrant husbands - but is dangerous . Work injuries also lead to lack of intimacy between couples .