Measuring the earth with footsteps, spreading love with sweat
At the launch ceremony of the 8-Hour Challenge, Gu Xiaojin (second from right), Executive Vice President of the China Youth Development Foundation, delivers a speech
Charity ambassadors Huang Nubo, Zheng Yuanjie, and Tong Dawei start the race alongside participants
Gu Xiaojin (second from right), Executive Vice President of the China Youth Development Foundation, and other guests present awards to the winners of the men's 40-kilometer category
Individual participants reach the finish line
Participants walk joyfully
Participants on the hiking trail
Volunteers cheer on the participants
A four-person team reaches the finish line
How powerful is the strength of walking? Can footsteps pave new paths for public welfare? A group of people have given us an affirmative answer.
Today, the '8-Hour Challenge' 2012 Charity Hiking & Trail Running Event, jointly organized by the China Youth Development Foundation and The Beijing News, and co-organized by the Communist Youth League Committee of Yanqing County and Operation Hope Hong Kong, officially kicked off at Yudu Mountain Scenic Area in Yanqing, Beijing. Nearly 900 outdoor enthusiasts with a passion for charity gathered here to challenge themselves through the power of walking and to put public welfare into action.
Today, the '8-Hour Challenge' 2012 Charity Hiking & Trail Running Event, jointly organized by the China Youth Development Foundation and The Beijing News, and co-organized by the Communist Youth League Committee of Yanqing County and Operation Hope Hong Kong, officially kicked off at Yudu Mountain Scenic Area in Yanqing, Beijing. Nearly 900 outdoor enthusiasts with a passion for charity gathered here to challenge themselves through the power of walking and to put public welfare into action.
New philanthropy, using the strength of walking, helps rural children read and grow happily.
The '8-Hour Challenge' Charity Hiking & Trail Running Event is a moderately challenging outdoor walking activity that combines sports with public welfare, creating a new model of social participation. Regarding this relatively novel form of charitable activity, Gu Xiaojin, Executive Vice President of the China Youth Development Foundation, explained: "In mainland China, this is a fresh charitable product. But in Hong Kong, hiking has become a culture that blends fitness with philanthropy—initiatives like Operation Hope Hong Kong and Oxfam Trailwalker use this approach to raise funds. The '8-Hour Challenge' is our first attempt drawing on the experience of Hong Kong’s nonprofit organizations."
On fundraising goals, Gu Xiaojin said: "I believe the core of this model is not fundraising, but promoting the 'Happy Reading' project under the Hope Program through such actions, helping more people realize that their understanding of and support for public welfare can be expressed in this way. It’s a form of cultural dissemination."
Compared to conventional donation methods in China, the trail running event allows donors to engage directly with the project, understand its operations, and personally experience the health and joy brought by exercise. A highlight of this charitable event is encouraging participants to promote the concept of public welfare through their influence and actions, mobilizing friends and family to join and support them, and enjoying a fulfilling spiritual journey while fundraising and hiking.
The '8-Hour Challenge' Charity Hiking & Trail Running Event is a moderately challenging outdoor walking activity that combines sports with public welfare, creating a new model of social participation. Regarding this relatively novel form of charitable activity, Gu Xiaojin, Executive Vice President of the China Youth Development Foundation, explained: "In mainland China, this is a fresh charitable product. But in Hong Kong, hiking has become a culture that blends fitness with philanthropy—initiatives like Operation Hope Hong Kong and Oxfam Trailwalker use this approach to raise funds. The '8-Hour Challenge' is our first attempt drawing on the experience of Hong Kong’s nonprofit organizations."
On fundraising goals, Gu Xiaojin said: "I believe the core of this model is not fundraising, but promoting the 'Happy Reading' project under the Hope Program through such actions, helping more people realize that their understanding of and support for public welfare can be expressed in this way. It’s a form of cultural dissemination."
Compared to conventional donation methods in China, the trail running event allows donors to engage directly with the project, understand its operations, and personally experience the health and joy brought by exercise. A highlight of this charitable event is encouraging participants to promote the concept of public welfare through their influence and actions, mobilizing friends and family to join and support them, and enjoying a fulfilling spiritual journey while fundraising and hiking.
Gathering love, improving the reading conditions of rural children in a way everyone can participate in.
Since its launch on June 11, the '8-Hour Challenge' has attracted widespread attention. Xie Pingran (13) and Xie Pingyun (11), two brothers who once spent 18 days hiking from Xingtai to Beijing to raise money for impoverished students in their hometown, began fundraising for the 'Happy Reading' project under the Hope Program after learning about the event online. During the day, they wore white T-shirts printed with slogans like 'Happy Reading under the Hope Program' and 'Public Welfare for Education,' distributing flyers in nearby squares and parks. "Little classmate Li Lujia donated 2.1 yuan in change," "Two kind sisters each donated twenty yuan"... In the evening, the brothers posted their daily fundraising results on Weibo, allowing more netizens to track their progress. So far, the brothers have raised funds from 336 donors, collecting a total of 1,344.1 yuan.
Song Zhiying from Guangdong, upon seeing the challenge event on Weibo, immediately began fundraising. "I’m Song Zhiying. I need twenty yuan. If you’d like to help me, please get in touch. Thank you." She divided her minimum fundraising goal of 600 yuan into 30 separate 20-yuan requests and posted this message on her Weibo. Even the 10 yuan she found on the street was acknowledged with a thank-you post, and she decided to donate it to the 'Happy Reading' project. Among those who donated, one was a stranger she only knew from Weibo—a 18-year-old student who took a bus for several stops to hand her 50 yuan in person.
Jiang Yanping, an outdoor enthusiast, returned from climbing Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, with her goddaughter Chen Kexin, and immediately signed up for the '8-Hour Challenge' hiking event. She even persuaded two friends to join and decided to donate 600 yuan for each of them. "Reading is very important for a person," said Jiang Yanping, who grew up with excellent reading resources. Books can change a person’s world, and she hopes the event can bring some positive change to children in mountain villages.
Sina blogger 'Behei,' an early follower of the '8-Hour Challenge,' not only provided many thoughtful suggestions but also actively fundraised via Weibo. By August 25, Behei had engaged over 30 donors and raised 1,480 yuan.
Zhou Peng, a migrant worker in Beijing, made a special trip to the China Youth Development Foundation to donate in person and participate in the '8-Hour Challenge.' As a loader for a courier company with modest income, he is enthusiastic about public welfare and has donated to many charitable projects. Currently unemployed due to adjustments in his company’s Beijing operations, Zhou Peng said he loves sports, and the '8-Hour Challenge' aligns perfectly with his desire to stay fit while contributing to charity. The 600 yuan he donated is his way of showing support for children in remote rural areas.
Zhang Lin, a media distribution officer, signed up for the 25-kilometer hike as soon as she heard about the '8-Hour Challenge.' Beyond her love for outdoor activities, Zhang Lin is particularly interested in the beneficiaries of the donations. "Some of the children receiving support from this event are from Baoshan, Yunnan. I’m from Yunnan too, and I want to do something for the kids back home." Born in a rural area, Zhang Lin spent most of her childhood after school doing chores or farm work. "It wasn’t until college that I realized the importance of extracurricular reading, but by then, I was already far behind urban kids." She doesn’t want children in her hometown to fall behind in education.
Huang Nubo, a renowned entrepreneur known as a representative of the 'new generation of Confucian merchants' and one of the charity ambassadors for this event, not only invited three business associates who are also hiking enthusiasts to participate but also mobilized over 60 employees and partners through his company, Zhongkun Group. Everyone felt it was both 'fashionable and an honor.' Today, he and his friends completed the 40-kilometer route together.
Zheng Yuanjie, a famous writer and 'King of Fairy Tales,' gladly accepted the role of 'Charity Ambassador' for this event, invited by the China Youth Development Foundation and The Beijing News. His children’s literary work, 'The Airline of Shuke and Beita,' has been included in the 'Happy Reading' book list under the Hope Program, carrying the good wishes of many philanthropists to inspire a love of literature among rural children.
Another charity ambassador, young actor Tong Dawei, hopes reading will provide children with spiritual nourishment. "Reading more and reading good books can enlighten the mind, help people appreciate beauty in everyday life, maintain hope for the future, and enrich their own lives."
Since its launch on June 11, the '8-Hour Challenge' has attracted widespread attention. Xie Pingran (13) and Xie Pingyun (11), two brothers who once spent 18 days hiking from Xingtai to Beijing to raise money for impoverished students in their hometown, began fundraising for the 'Happy Reading' project under the Hope Program after learning about the event online. During the day, they wore white T-shirts printed with slogans like 'Happy Reading under the Hope Program' and 'Public Welfare for Education,' distributing flyers in nearby squares and parks. "Little classmate Li Lujia donated 2.1 yuan in change," "Two kind sisters each donated twenty yuan"... In the evening, the brothers posted their daily fundraising results on Weibo, allowing more netizens to track their progress. So far, the brothers have raised funds from 336 donors, collecting a total of 1,344.1 yuan.
Song Zhiying from Guangdong, upon seeing the challenge event on Weibo, immediately began fundraising. "I’m Song Zhiying. I need twenty yuan. If you’d like to help me, please get in touch. Thank you." She divided her minimum fundraising goal of 600 yuan into 30 separate 20-yuan requests and posted this message on her Weibo. Even the 10 yuan she found on the street was acknowledged with a thank-you post, and she decided to donate it to the 'Happy Reading' project. Among those who donated, one was a stranger she only knew from Weibo—a 18-year-old student who took a bus for several stops to hand her 50 yuan in person.
Jiang Yanping, an outdoor enthusiast, returned from climbing Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, with her goddaughter Chen Kexin, and immediately signed up for the '8-Hour Challenge' hiking event. She even persuaded two friends to join and decided to donate 600 yuan for each of them. "Reading is very important for a person," said Jiang Yanping, who grew up with excellent reading resources. Books can change a person’s world, and she hopes the event can bring some positive change to children in mountain villages.
Sina blogger 'Behei,' an early follower of the '8-Hour Challenge,' not only provided many thoughtful suggestions but also actively fundraised via Weibo. By August 25, Behei had engaged over 30 donors and raised 1,480 yuan.
Zhou Peng, a migrant worker in Beijing, made a special trip to the China Youth Development Foundation to donate in person and participate in the '8-Hour Challenge.' As a loader for a courier company with modest income, he is enthusiastic about public welfare and has donated to many charitable projects. Currently unemployed due to adjustments in his company’s Beijing operations, Zhou Peng said he loves sports, and the '8-Hour Challenge' aligns perfectly with his desire to stay fit while contributing to charity. The 600 yuan he donated is his way of showing support for children in remote rural areas.
Zhang Lin, a media distribution officer, signed up for the 25-kilometer hike as soon as she heard about the '8-Hour Challenge.' Beyond her love for outdoor activities, Zhang Lin is particularly interested in the beneficiaries of the donations. "Some of the children receiving support from this event are from Baoshan, Yunnan. I’m from Yunnan too, and I want to do something for the kids back home." Born in a rural area, Zhang Lin spent most of her childhood after school doing chores or farm work. "It wasn’t until college that I realized the importance of extracurricular reading, but by then, I was already far behind urban kids." She doesn’t want children in her hometown to fall behind in education.
Huang Nubo, a renowned entrepreneur known as a representative of the 'new generation of Confucian merchants' and one of the charity ambassadors for this event, not only invited three business associates who are also hiking enthusiasts to participate but also mobilized over 60 employees and partners through his company, Zhongkun Group. Everyone felt it was both 'fashionable and an honor.' Today, he and his friends completed the 40-kilometer route together.
Zheng Yuanjie, a famous writer and 'King of Fairy Tales,' gladly accepted the role of 'Charity Ambassador' for this event, invited by the China Youth Development Foundation and The Beijing News. His children’s literary work, 'The Airline of Shuke and Beita,' has been included in the 'Happy Reading' book list under the Hope Program, carrying the good wishes of many philanthropists to inspire a love of literature among rural children.
Another charity ambassador, young actor Tong Dawei, hopes reading will provide children with spiritual nourishment. "Reading more and reading good books can enlighten the mind, help people appreciate beauty in everyday life, maintain hope for the future, and enrich their own lives."
A new experience: the combination of sports and public welfare encourages active corporate participation and greater contributions of love.
As one of the organizers of the '8-Hour Challenge' Charity Hiking & Trail Running Event, The Beijing News formed a 98-person team to participate in the 25-kilometer hike. Prior to the event, team members collectively sold newspapers on the street, with all proceeds donated to the 'Happy Reading' project under the China Youth Development Foundation to purchase books for rural children. In addition to employees signing up for the team competition, many staff members also chose to participate individually. To raise more donations, many participants engaged in fundraising, targeting colleagues and friends, with Weibo becoming a key platform for their efforts.
Beijing New Yansha Commercial Co., Ltd. was the first enterprise to form a team for the event. Fu Yuehong, the general manager and an avid outdoor sports fan, has explored various forms of physical activity—from indoor workouts to outdoor adventures and extreme sports. As a business leader, she frequently organizes team-building activities through outdoor sports. This time, she personally led ten teams to take on the 25-kilometer challenge. The effective blend of sports and public welfare gave her a renewed sense of enjoyment in exercise.
A total of eight companies participated in this event by making donations and forming teams to compete, including Beijing Xin Yan Sha Commercial Co., Ltd., Noah Asset Management, The Beijing News, Sina Leju, Anheuser-Busch InBev Investment (China) Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Corporation Beijing Office, Zhongkun Group, and Beijing Oulailai Kangxiu Equipment Co., Ltd., as well as Suzhou Yongding Book Culture Co., Ltd.
This event received strong support from many companies in terms of race organization. FAW Mazda, as the title sponsor, covered the majority of the event’s operational expenses; Kraft Foods China and Coca-Cola provided supplementary items such as biscuits, chocolate bars, and mineral water; Nanjing Biancheng Sporting Goods Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Ezon Electronic Co., Ltd., and Insight Business Trading (Beijing) Co., Ltd. sponsored prizes from outdoor sports brands “Austria NORTHLAND,” “SALEWA,” and “EZON,” respectively.
As of September 8, the official website of the China Youth Development Foundation’s “Challenge 8 Hours” charity hiking and trail running event showed that a total of 623,735.33 RMB in donations had been received.
As one of the organizers of the '8-Hour Challenge' Charity Hiking & Trail Running Event, The Beijing News formed a 98-person team to participate in the 25-kilometer hike. Prior to the event, team members collectively sold newspapers on the street, with all proceeds donated to the 'Happy Reading' project under the China Youth Development Foundation to purchase books for rural children. In addition to employees signing up for the team competition, many staff members also chose to participate individually. To raise more donations, many participants engaged in fundraising, targeting colleagues and friends, with Weibo becoming a key platform for their efforts.
Beijing New Yansha Commercial Co., Ltd. was the first enterprise to form a team for the event. Fu Yuehong, the general manager and an avid outdoor sports fan, has explored various forms of physical activity—from indoor workouts to outdoor adventures and extreme sports. As a business leader, she frequently organizes team-building activities through outdoor sports. This time, she personally led ten teams to take on the 25-kilometer challenge. The effective blend of sports and public welfare gave her a renewed sense of enjoyment in exercise.
A total of eight companies participated in this event by making donations and forming teams to compete, including Beijing Xin Yan Sha Commercial Co., Ltd., Noah Asset Management, The Beijing News, Sina Leju, Anheuser-Busch InBev Investment (China) Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Corporation Beijing Office, Zhongkun Group, and Beijing Oulailai Kangxiu Equipment Co., Ltd., as well as Suzhou Yongding Book Culture Co., Ltd.
This event received strong support from many companies in terms of race organization. FAW Mazda, as the title sponsor, covered the majority of the event’s operational expenses; Kraft Foods China and Coca-Cola provided supplementary items such as biscuits, chocolate bars, and mineral water; Nanjing Biancheng Sporting Goods Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Ezon Electronic Co., Ltd., and Insight Business Trading (Beijing) Co., Ltd. sponsored prizes from outdoor sports brands “Austria NORTHLAND,” “SALEWA,” and “EZON,” respectively.
As of September 8, the official website of the China Youth Development Foundation’s “Challenge 8 Hours” charity hiking and trail running event showed that a total of 623,735.33 RMB in donations had been received.
The event was professionally organized, the service enthusiastic, and participants enjoyed a rewarding experience.
At 9:05 a.m., the opening ceremony officially commenced. Gu Xiaojin, Executive Vice President of the China Youth Development Foundation, Wang Yuechun, Executive Chief Editor of The Beijing News, Chen He’an, Standing Committee Member and United Front Work Department Minister of Yanqing County, and three goodwill ambassadors delivered brief yet passionate speeches. At 9:20 a.m., following the starting gun, nearly a thousand participants, led by goodwill ambassadors Huang Nubo, Zheng Yuanjie, and Tong Dawei, began their trail running challenge.
According to Gu Zhengzheng, Head of the Publicity Department of the China Youth Development Foundation, who was present at the scene, the course was divided into two routes—25 kilometers and 40 kilometers—that included both mountain crossings and road hiking, offering a high level of challenge. Each route was further divided into three categories: four-person teams, individual men, and individual women. Each participant wore a bib number and an electronic timing chip to record their performance. Nine checkpoints (including supply stations) were set up along the route to provide services such as timing, drinking water, food, and medical aid. To ensure participant safety, a mountain rescue team was specially assigned to the mountain trail sections, with staff patrolling and searching approximately every 500 to 700 meters on average; for the road sections, shuttle buses were arranged to pick up those who withdrew from the race. In addition, the organizers noted that they had recruited over 100 university student volunteers to assist with various event services. At each checkpoint, participants were warmly welcomed and encouraged by the volunteers.
The top three winners in each category were awarded the Golden Foot Award, Silver Foot Award, and Bronze Foot Award, respectively. Among them, Ma Lei, the Golden Foot Award winner in the men’s 25-kilometer category, completed the challenge in 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 58 seconds; Duncan Frances, an international participant, completed the men’s 40-kilometer race in 5 hours, 20 minutes, and 36 seconds, earning the Bronze Foot Award; Liao Biwei won the Golden Foot Award in the women’s 25-kilometer category with a time of 5 hours, 1 minute, and 1 second; the four-person team champion in the 25-kilometer category was formed by Mu Rong, Shi Tianzhan, and two others, finishing in 4 hours, 50 minutes, and 41 seconds. All participants demonstrated tenacious perseverance and the spirit of challenging themselves, successfully completing the challenges of mountain crossings and road hiking.
By around 4 p.m., most participants had completed the course and returned to the starting point. To liven up the atmosphere, promote interaction among participants, and foster camaraderie, the event organizers—the China Youth Development Foundation—held an outdoor charity auction. All auction items were donated by participants and priced by them. All proceeds from the auction will continue to support the “Project Hope Happy Reading” initiative.
At 9:05 a.m., the opening ceremony officially commenced. Gu Xiaojin, Executive Vice President of the China Youth Development Foundation, Wang Yuechun, Executive Chief Editor of The Beijing News, Chen He’an, Standing Committee Member and United Front Work Department Minister of Yanqing County, and three goodwill ambassadors delivered brief yet passionate speeches. At 9:20 a.m., following the starting gun, nearly a thousand participants, led by goodwill ambassadors Huang Nubo, Zheng Yuanjie, and Tong Dawei, began their trail running challenge.
According to Gu Zhengzheng, Head of the Publicity Department of the China Youth Development Foundation, who was present at the scene, the course was divided into two routes—25 kilometers and 40 kilometers—that included both mountain crossings and road hiking, offering a high level of challenge. Each route was further divided into three categories: four-person teams, individual men, and individual women. Each participant wore a bib number and an electronic timing chip to record their performance. Nine checkpoints (including supply stations) were set up along the route to provide services such as timing, drinking water, food, and medical aid. To ensure participant safety, a mountain rescue team was specially assigned to the mountain trail sections, with staff patrolling and searching approximately every 500 to 700 meters on average; for the road sections, shuttle buses were arranged to pick up those who withdrew from the race. In addition, the organizers noted that they had recruited over 100 university student volunteers to assist with various event services. At each checkpoint, participants were warmly welcomed and encouraged by the volunteers.
The top three winners in each category were awarded the Golden Foot Award, Silver Foot Award, and Bronze Foot Award, respectively. Among them, Ma Lei, the Golden Foot Award winner in the men’s 25-kilometer category, completed the challenge in 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 58 seconds; Duncan Frances, an international participant, completed the men’s 40-kilometer race in 5 hours, 20 minutes, and 36 seconds, earning the Bronze Foot Award; Liao Biwei won the Golden Foot Award in the women’s 25-kilometer category with a time of 5 hours, 1 minute, and 1 second; the four-person team champion in the 25-kilometer category was formed by Mu Rong, Shi Tianzhan, and two others, finishing in 4 hours, 50 minutes, and 41 seconds. All participants demonstrated tenacious perseverance and the spirit of challenging themselves, successfully completing the challenges of mountain crossings and road hiking.
By around 4 p.m., most participants had completed the course and returned to the starting point. To liven up the atmosphere, promote interaction among participants, and foster camaraderie, the event organizers—the China Youth Development Foundation—held an outdoor charity auction. All auction items were donated by participants and priced by them. All proceeds from the auction will continue to support the “Project Hope Happy Reading” initiative.
Sustaining love, honoring commitments, and fulfilling the reading dreams of rural children.
“This event is just the beginning, but our mission to help rural children improve their reading skills will continue,” said Gu Zhengzheng, Head of the Publicity Department of the China Youth Development Foundation. “In addition to donating quality children's books to rural primary schools, we will also train reading guidance teachers, establish library management systems, and encourage schools to offer ‘reading classes’ and reading sharing activities. The China Youth Development Foundation has designed a comprehensive funding process to ensure that the books are truly read, written about, listened to, and discussed by the students who benefit from them.”
While the charity hike was one aspect of the event, more attention was focused on how the China Youth Development Foundation would use the donations. After the event concluded, fundraising efforts continued until October 31, 2012. During this period, to allow participants to witness firsthand the lack of reading resources among children in mountain villages and to monitor the use of funds and distribution of books by the China Youth Development Foundation, two field visits were organized. Participants of the hiking event and donors could sign up to join at their own expense. In early November, the China Youth Development Foundation also held a fundraising sharing session, where participants exchanged insights from their fundraising efforts and field visit experiences, and awards were presented for the Best Fundraising Award (the participant who raised the most funds), the Fundraising Endurance Award (the participant who engaged the most donors), and the Fundraising Mobilization Award (the participant who recruited the most participants).
Boarding the bus back to the city, looking at the sweat-drenched faces of the athletes, one could almost see the joyful smiles of rural children, neatly stacked books in classrooms, and hear the innocent sound of children reading...
“This event is just the beginning, but our mission to help rural children improve their reading skills will continue,” said Gu Zhengzheng, Head of the Publicity Department of the China Youth Development Foundation. “In addition to donating quality children's books to rural primary schools, we will also train reading guidance teachers, establish library management systems, and encourage schools to offer ‘reading classes’ and reading sharing activities. The China Youth Development Foundation has designed a comprehensive funding process to ensure that the books are truly read, written about, listened to, and discussed by the students who benefit from them.”
While the charity hike was one aspect of the event, more attention was focused on how the China Youth Development Foundation would use the donations. After the event concluded, fundraising efforts continued until October 31, 2012. During this period, to allow participants to witness firsthand the lack of reading resources among children in mountain villages and to monitor the use of funds and distribution of books by the China Youth Development Foundation, two field visits were organized. Participants of the hiking event and donors could sign up to join at their own expense. In early November, the China Youth Development Foundation also held a fundraising sharing session, where participants exchanged insights from their fundraising efforts and field visit experiences, and awards were presented for the Best Fundraising Award (the participant who raised the most funds), the Fundraising Endurance Award (the participant who engaged the most donors), and the Fundraising Mobilization Award (the participant who recruited the most participants).
Boarding the bus back to the city, looking at the sweat-drenched faces of the athletes, one could almost see the joyful smiles of rural children, neatly stacked books in classrooms, and hear the innocent sound of children reading...