61-year-old Jin Shiming walks briskly along Xingsha Avenue.
With 90,300 kilometers under his belt—equivalent to more than two trips around the Earth—he completed the journey entirely on foot. Over nearly 8 years, he has passed through 2,125 counties and plans to cover all of China’s counties in another 3 years to set a Guinness World Record. On the morning of April 26, the now 61-year-old, wearing large-framed glasses and carrying a big backpack, was seen walking vigorously along Xingsha Avenue. Changsha County became his 2,126th county. He is known as the “No. 1 Walker of China” and the “Chinese Forrest Gump.”
Keeping up with morning and evening runs built him a strong physique.
Jin Shiming is originally from Baoji, Shaanxi Province. In 1969, after losing both parents at a young age, he wandered alone to Fukang City in Xinjiang, where he worked in a coal mine. A sports enthusiast since childhood, he kept up daily morning and evening runs alongside his job, which helped build his strong physique.
In 2005, Jin Shiming retired from the coal mine. At that time, a fitness craze was sweeping the nation, and he came up with the idea of hiking 15,000 kilometers to Beijing. On August 16, he set off from Fukang with two running friends. However, the other two had to quit in Lhasa due to altitude sickness. Instead of turning back, he chose to press on.
In November 2006, he finally arrived in Beijing, having completed over 15,000 kilometers—more than the diameter of the Earth. But the challenges never stopped. After a short rest in Beijing, Jin Shiming set an even higher goal and continued walking.
Heading north in summer, reaching as far as Mohe Arctic Village
For safety, Jin Shiming follows a strict routine: he walks only during the day; in summer he heads north, in winter he goes south; and he sticks to national, provincial, and county roads, avoiding small paths. Carrying a backpack and trekking pole, he has traversed the Altun Mountains and the Greater Khingan Range, reaching as far north as Mohe Arctic Village and as far south as Sanya’s Tianya Haijiao.
For Jin Shiming, solo hiking isn’t as monotonous as outsiders might think. Walking and sightseeing go hand in hand, and his footprints can be found at many tourist attractions. He has also “squeezed in” time to participate in five international marathons, even placing second in the senior group at the Xiamen Marathon in 2007.
Never encountered bad things, only good people and deeds
By August 16 of this year, Jin Shiming will have been walking for a full 8 years. “Maybe I’ve been very lucky. Along the way, I’ve never run into any bad situations—only good people and good deeds,” Jin Shiming said. The cost of his hikes is mostly covered by his monthly retirement salary of nearly 1,800 yuan. He stays in cheap guesthouses and eats just enough to get by. “Often, kind-hearted people donate clothes or offer lodging. All 64 pairs of shoes I’ve worn while walking were given to me by sports departments or good Samaritans.”
This is Jin Shiming’s third visit to Hunan. After traveling from Shaoshan in Xiangtan to Changsha, he visited Xingsha for the first time. After a brief stay here, he will head to Wangcheng, continuing on toward the dream in his heart. “It’s purely my passion that keeps me going. And the journey itself allows me to take in the beautiful landscapes of our country and make friends along the way—that’s a true joy in life!”