Recently at noon, 42-year-old "eco-knight" Kang Fengyun stood at the bustling intersection of Chunxi Road distributing environmental protection leaflets, dressed as usual in his iconic gear that has remained largely unchanged over eight years of cycling — a red-and-white cycling suit, a safety helmet, a mountain bike adorned with eco-friendly and low-carbon propaganda flags, two thick "travel passports" over 20 cm thick, plus a bag of dry rations stored with a friend, which made up all of Kang Fengyun’s belongings for his 120,000+ km journey.
Chengdu is Kang Fengyun’s 1,003rd stop. It’s his seventh time promoting environmental awareness here, and what struck him most was, "There are more cars in Chengdu, but the public’s environmental consciousness has also improved." When talking about his future plans, this optimistic and talkative man from Northwest China joked that he might just keep cycling for the rest of his life.
Cycling: Arrival at Stop 1,003 — Chengdu, where two big notebooks are his greatest treasures
Tall, with dark skin and a weathered face, 42-year-old Kang Fengyun wore a red cycling suit, a red-and-white helmet, and a "volunteer certificate" around his neck. He stood on the crowded Chunxi Road pedestrian overpass handing out environmental leaflets. Beside him was an old mountain bike, his only means of transport across China. The handlebars were covered with yellow tape. "This is my sixth bicycle. Previous ones were either stolen or fell off cliffs. Most were gifted by kind-hearted people."
The front and rear of Kang Fengyun’s mountain bike were adorned with colorful flags, one of which — a white flag almost entirely covered in writing — particularly caught the eye. Kang explained that the flag bore signatures and environmental slogans from fellow cyclists at a club in Mianyang. Over the eight years of his journey, he would contact local cycling clubs in every city he visited, earning considerable support.
On the rear rack of the mountain bike were two square black bags, each holding a notebook over 20 cm thick. "These are the spiritual riches I’ve gained over the years — my 'travel passports'!" Kang said proudly, then flipped open the slightly worn notebook, revealing clippings from media reports about the "eco-knight" from various regions, along with messages from environmental departments and cycling clubs in many cities. "There are over 4,000 stamps in here," Kang said, drawing encouragement from them.
Everywhere he went, Kang would first visit the local environmental department to get their stamp of approval and support, then head to the busiest squares and streets to distribute leaflets and promote environmentalism. In early August, Kang arrived in Chengdu, getting stamps from environmental departments across multiple districts. On August 8, he received a stamp and 500 yuan in "support funding" from the Environmental Protection Bureau of Chenghua District.
Motivation: Suspected stomach cancer from polluted water eight years ago healed after two years of cycling
In 2006, Kang Fengyun first cycled to Chengdu. This year marks his seventh visit. Within ten days, he biked through all districts and counties of Chengdu, promoting his environmental philosophy at busy intersections — "Green consumption, starting with me!"
Kang said his expenses in Chengdu were high — a night at a hotel cost 80 yuan, so he ended up sleeping at internet cafes every day for 30 yuan a night. With food costs, he spent nearly 60 yuan a day, often eating just breakfast and lunch together, and only having dinner when he was really hungry.
Kang revealed that unlike some cycling companions who worked along the way, he spent the eight years solely focused on environmental advocacy, surviving on meager "sponsorship fees" from environmental departments and cycling clubs, usually ranging from 30 to 500 yuan. He often went without meals. "At my toughest, I drank tap water for a whole week. You probably won’t believe that."
Kang’s idea to cycle across China promoting environmentalism stemmed from a serious illness. In July 2005, while working in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, Kang was diagnosed with malignant gastric tumors at the hospital. The likely cause of his illness was long-term consumption of polluted water. "It was already in the late stages, and I was in great pain." It was this painful experience that made him despise environmental pollution, and Kang wanted to change the world through his own actions.
In 2007, after cycling to Shenzhen, Kang went for a check-up at a hospital and found that his stomach cancer had miraculously healed. He had conquered the disease through cycling, which further strengthened his resolve to promote environmentalism by bike and help more people. In 2009, a follow-up examination at a hospital in Taiyuan yielded the same result.
After achieving his goal of cycling 100,000 km in 2010, Kang had planned to stop and return to his hometown of Lanzhou to take care of his father. But tragically, his father passed away that year, and his mother had died when he was just six. Left alone, Kang decided to continue cycling. Plans: He fears neither freezing, hunger, nor beatings — he might cycle for life
Over eight years, cycling 126,000 km and leaving his footprints in 25 provinces across China, Kang’s journey has gained increasing recognition and support. His experiences have been as dramatic as the plot of Journey to the West. For Kang, enduring cold, hunger, and even skipping showers has become routine. Only occasionally, with the support of certain departments and organizations, is he able to stay at a hotel and enjoy a hot shower.
He has slept in graveyards, been pricked by tree branches by mountain roads, and in 2009, while promoting environmentalism in Qingdao, he was even beaten up. While visiting the seaside in Qingdao, Kang noticed barbecue stalls dumping food waste directly into the ocean. Furious, he stepped forward to stop them. The vendors thought he was meddling and beat him up.
Initially, many doubted Kang’s motives, accusing him of staging a publicity stunt. He faced opposition and encountered citizens indifferent to environmental issues. "Now, more and more people support me," Kang said cheerfully. "Just now, an uncle came up to shake my hand, take a photo with me, and encourage me. He said what I’m doing is right!"
Asked about the changes in Chengdu, Kang remarked, "Chengdu has developed so fast, changed so much. The city is growing rapidly, there are more vehicles on the road, but the public’s environmental awareness has also grown!"
Kang said that if he had continued making noodles as before, he could have earned a monthly salary of 5,000 yuan. "But now, I’m solely focused on promoting environmentalism." The cheerful and talkative man from the northwest once considered finding a girl to marry during his travels. Now, asked about it, he laughed and said, "I have no salary, no house, no car — what woman would want to marry me?" As for the future, the optimistic northwesterner joked, "Maybe I’ll cycle for life."