After 21 days of cycling, Qingdao "cyclist" Li Zhi arrived in Lhasa from Lijiang. In addition to sightseeing along the way, he had a special mission on this trip—to visit local schools in order to provide aid to underprivileged students. On May 21, Li Zhi, back in Qingdao, shared his experiences and feelings with reporters. He told them that the kids there have no trouble attending school, but some parents are reluctant to send their children. What Li Zhi wants to do most now is to bring the children to Qingdao to see the sea.
21 Days, 10 Snowy Mountain Passes to Lhasa
Li Zhi, 38, who lives in Fushan, is a true-blue "cyclist." In early April this year, he packed his gear and headed to Lijiang, where he began his bike journey to Tibet in search of impoverished children in remote mountainous areas. It took him 21 days to cover the 1,800-kilometer route. In his own words, he encountered natural disasters along the way but also received help from many kind-hearted people.
"The weather here is extremely harsh—the sky rains down snowballs the size of pigeon eggs, not snowflakes," he said. When faced with such conditions, Li Zhi could at least take shelter in his tent, but altitude sickness was unavoidable. He had to stop to rest every couple of steps. Tibetan locals often helped him through the toughest moments by offering him butter tea from their vehicles.
The Eco-Warrior Picks Up Trash Along the Way
Shortly after departing from Lijiang, Li Zhi noticed a strange phenomenon—every 70 or 80 meters along the drainage ditches on both sides of the national highway, there were aluminum cans, a sight that continued all the way to his later journey into Nepal, spanning an astonishing 2,800 kilometers. He told reporters that fellow cyclists suspected it was some company’s advertising stunt.
Along the way, Li Zhi also met an "eco-warrior." This man, a middle-aged person from Jiangsu, pushed a bicycle with various collected trash items loaded on the rear rack, and a very prominent red flag in front that read "Protect the Earth’s Environment."
"He told me he has been promoting environmental protection for over two years. Usually, he picks up trash along the way. On one hand, it raises people’s awareness about environmental issues, and on the other, he sells the collected waste to make a living," Li Zhi said. Whenever he met other cyclists, the eco-warrior would solemnly present them with a flag, reminding everyone to support environmental protection.
Some Parents Don’t Want Their Kids to Attend School
On April 22, Li Zhi arrived at the No. 2 Central Primary School in Bangda Township, Markam County, Tibet. Due to poor soundproofing in the classrooms, when one class was in session, the other two classes had to do their homework outside.
"The new school building is under construction. This is just a temporary solution," a teacher told Li Zhi. Nowadays, the state covers not only the tuition and book fees for the children, but also provides for their meals and accommodation. Yet, many parents are still unwilling to send their children to school. "Whenever we encounter such situations, our teachers will walk 10 kilometers or even farther to the students’ homes to persuade the parents," the teacher said.
I Want to Bring the Kids to Qingdao to See the Sea
Li Zhi told reporters that when he entered the classroom, the students were studying a text titled "The Sea Is Asleep." But because they live inland and have never seen the sea, the teachers who came to support education from other regions struggled to teach, and the students found it very difficult to learn.
Being a person from the coast, Li Zhi took it upon himself to act as the Chinese language teacher. But the string of questions the children asked stumped him. "Why is the seawater salty?" "What’s in the sea?" "Why is the sea blue?" Faced with the confused looks of the children, Li Zhi shed tears.
"Actually, if the kids could just see the sea with their own eyes, they’d easily understand the text." On his way back to Qingdao, Li Zhi began thinking that if given the chance, he would definitely bring the children to Qingdao to see the sea. "The round-trip fare isn’t high. I could even host two kids at my home, saving a lot of expenses that way." But considering the large number of children, the huge cost became a hurdle. "If kind-hearted individuals or companies could help me fulfill this wish, I would sincerely thank these good people on behalf of the children," Li Zhi said emotionally.
21 Days, 10 Snowy Mountain Passes to Lhasa
Li Zhi, 38, who lives in Fushan, is a true-blue "cyclist." In early April this year, he packed his gear and headed to Lijiang, where he began his bike journey to Tibet in search of impoverished children in remote mountainous areas. It took him 21 days to cover the 1,800-kilometer route. In his own words, he encountered natural disasters along the way but also received help from many kind-hearted people.
"The weather here is extremely harsh—the sky rains down snowballs the size of pigeon eggs, not snowflakes," he said. When faced with such conditions, Li Zhi could at least take shelter in his tent, but altitude sickness was unavoidable. He had to stop to rest every couple of steps. Tibetan locals often helped him through the toughest moments by offering him butter tea from their vehicles.
The Eco-Warrior Picks Up Trash Along the Way
Shortly after departing from Lijiang, Li Zhi noticed a strange phenomenon—every 70 or 80 meters along the drainage ditches on both sides of the national highway, there were aluminum cans, a sight that continued all the way to his later journey into Nepal, spanning an astonishing 2,800 kilometers. He told reporters that fellow cyclists suspected it was some company’s advertising stunt.
Along the way, Li Zhi also met an "eco-warrior." This man, a middle-aged person from Jiangsu, pushed a bicycle with various collected trash items loaded on the rear rack, and a very prominent red flag in front that read "Protect the Earth’s Environment."
"He told me he has been promoting environmental protection for over two years. Usually, he picks up trash along the way. On one hand, it raises people’s awareness about environmental issues, and on the other, he sells the collected waste to make a living," Li Zhi said. Whenever he met other cyclists, the eco-warrior would solemnly present them with a flag, reminding everyone to support environmental protection.
Some Parents Don’t Want Their Kids to Attend School
On April 22, Li Zhi arrived at the No. 2 Central Primary School in Bangda Township, Markam County, Tibet. Due to poor soundproofing in the classrooms, when one class was in session, the other two classes had to do their homework outside.
"The new school building is under construction. This is just a temporary solution," a teacher told Li Zhi. Nowadays, the state covers not only the tuition and book fees for the children, but also provides for their meals and accommodation. Yet, many parents are still unwilling to send their children to school. "Whenever we encounter such situations, our teachers will walk 10 kilometers or even farther to the students’ homes to persuade the parents," the teacher said.
I Want to Bring the Kids to Qingdao to See the Sea
Li Zhi told reporters that when he entered the classroom, the students were studying a text titled "The Sea Is Asleep." But because they live inland and have never seen the sea, the teachers who came to support education from other regions struggled to teach, and the students found it very difficult to learn.
Being a person from the coast, Li Zhi took it upon himself to act as the Chinese language teacher. But the string of questions the children asked stumped him. "Why is the seawater salty?" "What’s in the sea?" "Why is the sea blue?" Faced with the confused looks of the children, Li Zhi shed tears.
"Actually, if the kids could just see the sea with their own eyes, they’d easily understand the text." On his way back to Qingdao, Li Zhi began thinking that if given the chance, he would definitely bring the children to Qingdao to see the sea. "The round-trip fare isn’t high. I could even host two kids at my home, saving a lot of expenses that way." But considering the large number of children, the huge cost became a hurdle. "If kind-hearted individuals or companies could help me fulfill this wish, I would sincerely thank these good people on behalf of the children," Li Zhi said emotionally.