The father and son take a photo in front of the Jokhang Temple? Photo provided by the parties?
Father takes his son on an 1,800 km cycling trip to Tibet just to help him live more positively
“I want my son to experience life through this journey and develop an optimistic and strong spirit.” Yesterday, Mr. Chen, who had just returned to Wuhan, spoke passionately about his “parenting philosophy” after cycling 1,800 km to Tibet with his son.
Mr. Chen, 45, lives in Hanyang and runs a lighting store on Shunda Street in Hankou. His 15-year-old son is in the third year of junior high at a school in Hankou. During the summer vacation, the suicide of a fellow graduate from his son’s school had a significant emotional impact on the boy, who became idle all day, developed strong rebellious tendencies, and often complained that “life is meaningless.” So, on the evening of August 12, Mr. Chen took his son by train to Chengdu. The next afternoon, after gathering all their gear, they set off from Chengdu on bicycles, heading for Lhasa, Tibet.
The journey was full of ups and downs. Due to the many mountains along the way and the rugged roads, they often fell. In Sichuan, they encountered prolonged heavy rain and multiple mudslides at night, narrowly avoiding danger. While crossing the mountains in Tibet, they were hit by hail several times, with pea-sized ice pellets stinging their bodies and causing intense pain. By August 31, after cycling over 1,800 km, the father and son finally arrived in Lhasa, Tibet. That day happened to be Xiao Chen’s 15th birthday, and more than 10 cycling friends they met along the way gathered to celebrate, giving Xiao Chen an unforgettable birthday.
Mr. Chen said that the nearly 20-day cycling journey not only allowed his son to taste the ups and downs of life but also brought him closer to nature. Now his son has a much more positive mindset, which makes him very relieved.