On the night of February 2, 2015, snow was falling in Beijing. The light flakes brushed against my face like a gentle comforter soothing my spirit. If snow falls for the sorrowful, then among those weighed down by grief was I, in deepest pain. The news from the south cast a shadow over the northern sky. China’s young outdoor industry was to bid farewell to its first mentor lost to age—Knut Jaeger. This elderly German, renowned in Europe’s outdoor sector, came in his twilight years from the West to Jiangning in the East, where he preached and guided a new future for Asia’s outdoor industry. He came from afar and departed beyond boundaries. Perhaps he was divinely entrusted with a new mission—to bring us new gospel, for our benefit.
On the afternoon of April 25, 2011, at the 8264 headquarters in Tianjin. In a small meeting room on the third floor, through the glass partition, I caught my first glimpse of Mr. Jaeger’s broad back. That day, we had intense business talks in the afternoon, leaving everyone exhausted, yet afterward, Mr. Jaeger still agreed to be interviewed by me. I was deeply grateful and, drawing on all my knowledge of the outdoor industry at the time, asked him over twenty questions. Mr. Jaeger listened attentively, answered rigorously, with clear structure and tight logic. His German-accented English was delivered at an even, forceful pace, full of recitative beauty. What struck me even more was that his insights on the outdoor industry often came in just one sentence—so concise I could hardly expand or follow up. Looking back now, Mr. Jaeger’s views were all forward-thinking, foreseeing the current state of the outdoor industry. That interview was a spiritual delight. When I cheerfully offered to take his photo, Mr. Jaeger broke into a childlike smile of joy. Miss Lin Jiayi helped tidy his hair, and then everything beautiful was frozen in that evening. Later, I compiled the interview into an article and asked colleague Chen Qian to prepare the corresponding English section. At the time, I believed this would be a historically valuable record.
In the days that followed, I would see Mr. Jaeger at the Asia Outdoor Show. I would listen to his annual industry report presentations, spot him shaking hands at brand booths, and take photos for him at major event launches. Back then, I wore an outdoor T-shirt with a chest badge and camera, a backpack on my back, a bag of materials in my left hand, and pen, paper, and phone in my right—like a fully equipped warrior roaming the exhibition halls. My mindset toward work was calm and deeply committed, giving me a sense of presence in the vast venue. During one major launch, I took many photos and was sorting through them afterward when, suddenly, Mr. Jaeger, about ten meters away, walked over with a serious expression and gentle gaze, and said clearly and firmly, “Thank you.” I was surprised—he hadn’t found my outfit amusing, he’d actually noticed my work, and seemed to have read my heart. And so, I put my heart into it too. During the Asia Outdoor Show, in the large office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bustling exhibition, the afternoon office was quiet. I sat there quietly doing some work, while from afar I could hear Mr. Jaeger and Miss Lin Jiayi discussing earnestly in the innermost area, not sparing even a single word. From their voices, I could sense Mr. Jaeger’s sincerity and cultivated demeanor as a knowledgeable practitioner. It was a wonderful afternoon—I was quite smitten, thinking back.
In 2011, at the First China Outdoor Summit Forum held in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, and in 2013, at the Second China Outdoor Summit Forum in Zhaojin County, Shaanxi Province, Mr. Jaeger was a keynote speaker. I had the privilege of listening to his speeches and exchanging thoughts during the banquets. In 2012, China’s outdoor industry experienced the madness of a peak and the severity of a decline. That year, I was busier than ever, crisscrossing the country, visiting nearly 20 cities and over 300 outdoor stores, as well as mall shops and clubs. I wrote more than 60 reports. Though I hadn’t yet reached my ideal goals, I had finally taken the first step through hardship. Later, I continued organizing and supplementing these materials, and my heart gradually turned from enthusiasm to resilience through the process. On the afternoon of September 23, 2013, at the Hilton Nanjing Hexi Wanda Hotel. After the press conference for the Third Asia Bike Show, I conducted a routine interview with Mr. Jaeger. Afterward, he still wore that childlike smile and told me the Asia Bike Show would not only run independently this year but would also collaborate with the Zhuhai Airshow in the future to launch the Asia General Aviation Show. Then, Mr. Jaeger spoke earnestly: “In 2012, you researched China’s outdoor industry, wrote many articles, and many others. It’s clear you’re very passionate about the outdoor industry, devoted tremendous energy to your work, and many of your analytical viewpoints are very valuable. You must have faced significant challenges during your 2012 research—we all know how tough it was, how tough it was—and your results were excellent. I’ve been following the articles you wrote.” Hearing these words, if before I had revered Mr. Jaeger like a saintly icon, at that moment, I truly felt the gentle touch of his kind hand soothing the depths of my heart. All the windows in the hall seemed to brighten. At that moment, I loved this man.
The Eighth Happy Skiing Event in the outdoor industry in December 2013 truly became a grand gathering of friends in the field. This event was jointly initiated and promoted by Hu Yan Yong and Ji Jiu Guang, with Mr. Jaeger serving as the chairman of the Happy Skiing Event. I was fortunate to participate and became a member of the Happy Skiing Team. For three days, we skied together, partied, watched movies, drank tea, sang, and exchanged ideas in great harmony. On the afternoon of December 17, 2013, at the top cabin of Wanlong Ski Resort. A group of Happy Skiing Team men cheered wildly in the snow and ice, taking “bare-as-you-dare” photos in the sub-zero temperatures atop the mountain. The white snow struck the wildness in my heart. As I turned back toward the cabin amid flying snowflakes, I wasn’t in any rush to put on my ski gear. I lifted the leather-lined curtain of the wooden cabin, stepped inside, and glanced to the left hall—only to find Mr. Jaeger and Miss Lin Jiayi tidying up their clothes, preparing to descend the mountain. Excitedly, I strode over, expressing my desire to take a photo with Mr. Jaeger. Then Miss Lin Jiayi helped tidy Mr. Jaeger up once more. I put my arm around his shoulder and boldly took the only photo we ever had together. There had been many opportunities to take photos with Mr. Jaeger before, but this time, I came with genuine excitement. Perhaps it was the openness of baring my upper body, or the feeling of closeness between two generations, or perhaps it was simply meant to be. Looking back, it was an exhilarating afternoon, with brilliant blue light streaming through the glass windows. On the long wooden table nearby, the handsome Zhong Chengzhan was deep in conversation with someone.
Time flies, and the world changes. In 2014, I came to work in Beijing and, due to prior commitments, missed the July Asia Outdoor Show and didn’t get to see Mr. Jaeger. At the October Asia Bike Show, things were rushed—I shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Mr. Jaeger, listening to his report on China’s sports bike market. In the blink of an eye, it was the afternoon of January 30, 2015, nearly five o’clock, at the ISPO exhibition at the National Convention Center. I unexpectedly ran into Mr. Jaeger and Miss Lin Jiayi at an intersection, and once again grasped Mr. Jaeger’s gentle, large hand, listening to his steady, powerful words, his gaze deep and full of strength. Mr. Jaeger asked with concern, “You want to start a business? What are you planning to do?” I seemed to speak English more fluently and told him, “The business plans are taking shape. Aside from starting a business, I want to do two things: one is to focus on the history and trends of the industry, and write a book about the history of China’s outdoor industry; the other is to focus on the real stories of every person in the outdoor industry, and write novels about them.” Mr. Jaeger expressed approval, saying, “Very good ! We can talk about this properly.” At that time, my emotions were mixed with joy and unease. The huge exhibition hall shimmered with colorful lights, and the cross-shaped corridor formed a giant cross in my mind. On January 31, 2015, Mr. Jaeger passed away. Our final conversation became the last words he left me.
Mr. Jaeger was a legendary figure. He initiated the German Outdoor Association, founded the European Outdoor Show, established the Asia Outdoor Show, created the Asia Bike Show, launched the China Outdoor Brand Alliance, was working on the Asia General Aviation Show, and had BIGPACK… I learned about his life journey, outdoor ethos, business style, and personal anecdotes from many people. To others, he was always just “a friend,” even though he was a mentor to China’s outdoor industry. All of this made Mr. Jaeger’s life radiant and ensured he would be long remembered by his friends. Yet, these were not the lessons Mr. Jaeger imparted to me.
On the morning of February 1, 2015, I revisited those words: “Friendship based on profit dissolves when the profit ends; friendship based on power collapses when the power fades; friendship based on authority is abandoned when the authority is lost; friendship based on emotion is hurt when the emotion breaks; only friendship based on the heart can endure.” I didn’t quite understand what “friendship based on the heart” meant, so I spent the day in a daze. But from yesterday to today, unable to sleep at night and struggling to put pen to paper, I came to realize that my relationship with Mr. Jaeger was precisely “friendship based on the heart.”
Thank you, Mr. Jaeger. I will remember you for a long time. Your words and actions will continue to inspire my life.
Beijing, Anhui Li, February 3, 2015