On May 18 of this year, 50-year-old Ke Shichang from Dalian set off from his hometown with a 45-kilogram backpack, beginning his journey to hike the Silk Road. Yesterday, he finally arrived at Xi'an, the eastern starting point of the Silk Road.
Ten years ago, Ke Shichang was the head of the credit department at a bank in Dalian. By then, he had worked at the bank for nearly 20 years and earned a good income. In 2003, his mother suddenly passed away from a cerebral thrombosis. "I grew up without a father and was raised by my mother alone. This blow hit me especially hard and made me suddenly realize that life only happens once—if you don’t live it vibrantly, then when it’s gone, it’s gone." Afterward, he chose to resign from the bank and began his life of hiking. Ke Shichang said: "On May 18 of this year, I officially set off from Dalian. The first stage was to retrace the Silk Road—from Dalian to Xi'an—and then follow the ancient Silk Road all the way to Rome. We started with four people, but three left for various reasons, leaving just me now." Having walked for nearly five months, Ke Shichang has only spent a little over 4,000 yuan. "Aside from being very frugal myself, I’ve also met many kind-hearted people along the way. I share stories from my journey with them, and they help me out." he said.
After arriving in Xi'an, Ke Shichang stayed at a small hotel that charged him only 25 yuan per day—the owner gave him a 50% discount. Ke Shichang said that along the way, many families and inns offered him free or discounted lodging. "Along this journey, I’ve felt that there are still a lot of good people, and everyone has been very sincere with me."
Since setting off, Ke Shichang has been hiking along national roads. When he reaches a city, he stays there for a few days. In five months, he has worn out two pairs of shoes and dozens of socks. "It’s expected to take another three months to walk out of the country. No matter what, I’ll keep hiking, and I also want more people to learn about the Silk Road that originates from our country."