Who says loving machinery makes you a nerd? Who says science only belongs in labs? Who says a chubby guy nicknamed "270" can't travel the world with his girl? They are the adventure duo "Lüxing," who use technology to explore the far reaches of the earth. On November 3, renowned adventurer couple Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong visited Tsinghua University, sharing their thrilling stories and technological wisdom with students, while encouraging them to "seize youth and travel far" in pursuit of the unparalleled.
Extreme traveler Zhang Xinyu has had a special passion for technology since childhood. Not only does he love electronics, mechanics, and all things gear-related, but he also has exceptional hands-on skills. Over the past two years, Zhang Xinyu and his wife Liang Hong have braved countless harsh environments. Through one challenge after another, they used their accumulated technological expertise to set new goals and bravely pursue the unparalleled. For them, exploring the unknown and seeking the meaning of life were the starting points of their journey, and technology has enabled their expeditions to go further.
Reflecting on their experience in earthquake relief in 2008, Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong said it was this mission that made them realize the impermanence of life through countless encounters with death. This realization ultimately led them to give up their comfortable lives and immerse themselves in the boundless exploration of the world. They define their actions as "exploration" rather than "adventure"—"Exploration isn’t about just setting off; it’s about accumulating 100 skills, refining 1,000 methods, and dedicating 10,000 hours of learning." After four years of study and preparation, the couple finally embarked on their journey to explore the unknown in 2012, testing themselves with four polar expeditions: at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, they resisted the threat of intense radiation and captured the true face of this "nuclear dead city" with their cameras; at Marum Volcano, Zhang Xinyu rappelled into the volcano’s depths, having an intimate encounter with the scorching lava at the "Gateway to Heaven." In Oymyakon, the coldest inhabited place on Earth, they endured temperatures of minus 50 degrees, becoming the first Chinese couple to camp there, and it was here that Zhang Xinyu proposed to Liang Hong.
In June 2013, Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong set sail on a sailboat they designed and modified, embarking on an unprecedented global expedition. Departing from Shanghai, they crossed the Bering Sea, traversed the Roaring Forties, and covered over 20,000 nautical miles of grueling journey before finally arriving in Antarctica in February 2014, fulfilling their love vow of "proposing in the Arctic and getting married in the Antarctic." On their wedding day, messages of congratulations poured in from multiple heads of state, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel quoting the classic line from *The Little Prince*: "Love is not about looking at each other, it’s about looking outward together in the same direction," expressing her warm wishes for the couple.
Through hundreds of sunrises and sunsets, and tens of thousands of miles of arduous exploration, Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong not only survived numerous life-threatening situations but also set multiple world records and achieved many firsts for Chinese people: they completed the first underwater exploration of a Mayan tomb in Mexico; held the first polar wedding at the Great Wall Station in Antarctica; underwent the bullet ant initiation ritual with an Amazon tribe; became the first Chinese to traverse the Chilean fjord waterways in the Andes; and completed the first transnational helium balloon flight across South Africa by Chinese citizens... Through their actions, Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong demonstrated to the world that "for Chinese people seeking the unparalleled, nothing is impossible—only a matter of whether you want to." Technology isn’t just for nerds—it makes travel go farther and makes Chinese people extraordinary.
During the sharing session, Zheng Wei, Vice President of ASUS China Business Group, said: "Pursuing the unparalleled has always been the core spirit of ASUS. Whether in the field of technology or extreme outdoor adventures, the spirit of pursuing the unparalleled is universal, which is why ASUS understands them better, believes in them more, and is more willing to support them." ASUS sincerely invited more Tsinghua students to join in using their intelligence and creativity to contribute better technological inventions to support Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong’s journey of pursuing the unparalleled. Tsinghua students at the event also shared their thoughts: "Seeing your unparalleled love journey, you’ve given us young people dedicated to our country the courage to chase our dreams—that is, if you have a dream, you must pursue it, no matter the reason." Later, Tsinghua makers showcased their inventions—works glowing with the spark of dreams—to help Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong fly higher and go further.
As a reliable technological companion for Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong’s global expedition, ASUS provided full technological support for the journey. Along the way, ASUS products withstood harsh environments that electronics fear the most—"humidity, salt corrosion, and vibration"—with their rock-solid quality, earning unanimous recognition from the crew. Prior to the trip, Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong had customized their intelligent terminal solutions and high-tech equipment for the next season’s expedition plan at ASUS’s Taipei headquarters.
"A spontaneous trip" is a phrase many people often say, but putting it into practice requires great courage. Inspired by Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong’s experiences of pursuing the unparalleled and exploring the world, the youthful passion of Tsinghua students was quickly ignited. Perhaps, in the near future, some Tsinghua students will also embark on journeys like those of Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong, and ASUS, with its rock-solid quality, will accompany all young dream-chasers in pursuing the unparalleled and witnessing the birth of one new legend after another.