Six-year-old Chen Xuan, together with her father Chen Shouzhong, completed an epic 2,100-kilometer cycling journey from Xi'an to Turpan over two and a half months, setting a global first as the youngest child to cycle the Silk Road.
The original plan was to cover 2,700 kilometers, but Chen Shouzhong adjusted the route in real time based on his daughter’s safety, stamina, and adaptability, prioritizing risk management. In the end, they cycled 2,100 kilometers, with the remaining sections covered by bus, car, and tractor to avoid particularly rugged or hazardous stretches.
From Xi'an through Gansu, conquering the Gobi dunes
The journey began in Xi'an, the historic ancient capital of Shaanxi Province, traversed the Loess Plateau and Hexi Corridor in Gansu, and reached the sparsely populated Turpan in Xinjiang, overcoming scorching heat and challenging Gobi dunes.
Chen Xuan had prior experience cycling in the Longtan Kwantan area where she lives, training her endurance with her father. Her stamina was already higher than that of most children. On this long, remote, hot, and physically demanding Silk Road trip, the hands-on experience helped reinforce her resilience.
Throughout the journey, father and daughter studied their route maps together, assembled and repaired their bikes, and when Chen Xuan grew tired, her father would pull her along. When the parents were fatigued, Chen Xuan would give them massages and cheer them on.
An Unforgettable Summer Trip Immersed in Silk Road Culture
An adult could typically complete this cycling trip along the Silk Road in about a month. But with a child’s stamina and learning capacity in mind, Chen Shouzhong intentionally slowed the pace and shortened daily distances to allow more time for cultural immersion and social interaction. Along the way, the family encountered many interesting sights, novel experiences, and unique moments — from meeting local farmers, to kids playing in straw, horseback riding, riding donkey carts, learning about saffron and fennel, watching performances by borderland ethnic groups, visiting markets, and sampling local snacks. The warm and kind locals they met along the way generously offered encouragement and help, and the shops, restaurants, fruit stalls, and guesthouses where they rested became important bridges for connecting with the community. Their hospitality was so genuine that the family didn’t have to spend money on grapes after entering Xinjiang, giving them a deep sense of the region’s customs and culture.
Gobi Inspires Learning Beyond the Classroom
Through a guided, experiential approach, six-year-old Chen Xuan was encouraged to try new things. Along the way, the novel people, sights, and experiences introduced her to knowledge not found in textbooks and showed her a bigger world beyond the city. It was her first visit to the Terracotta Army, grottoes, and reclining Buddha; her first realization that the mighty Yellow River resembles milk tea; her first encounter with her idol Sun Wukong; her first taste of donkey meat; her first understanding of what fennel and saffron are; her first time being blown over by strong Gobi winds while cycling; and her first time helping her father change a tire and pump it up.
Twenty-four hours a day together, facing many challenges and hardships, strengthened the parent-child bond. With their child along, Chen Shouzhong and his wife also learned to manage their emotions better and practiced positive communication to maintain harmony and unity within the family. Sharing these tough yet rewarding experiences brought the family even closer together.