Part of the Duku Highway Photo: VCG

With nothing but a homemade iron wagon, a loyal Belgian Malinois, and a massive backpack, Abusaimaiti Keremu embarks on an epic journey, hiking from his hometown Kashi in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to his ultimate destination Beijing. 

The 24-year-old adventurer, better known by his Douyin ­account name A Bu, has shared 388 videos of his passion for hiking on the social media platform, attracting nearly 400,000 fans who cheer him on toward his dream: To witness the flag-raising ceremony at Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijing. 

"Many people doubted me at the start and didn't believe I could do it. I know it's a long way, but it's always been my dream and I didn't over think about it before I set off," A Bu told the Global Times through a voice call on WeChat on Tuesday when asked about what motivated the journey. 

"In the 1950s, the story of Kurban Tulum, who rode a donkey from Xinjiang to Beijing to express his gratitude for the peaceful liberation of Xinjiang in 1949, touched many people, and it also inspired me.

 "There are many ways to travel. You can take a train, a plane, or even ride a bike, but I chose to walk because it's my passion. When I stood on the Lanzhou Zhongshan Bridge and gazed at the majestic Yellow River flowing through the city, I was overwhelmed with joy." 

Abusaimaiti Keremu and his dog Photo: Courtesy of Abusaimaiti Keremu

'Nature is my muse'

Hailing from Kashi, the southern tip of Xinjiang, A Bu had a grand plan to hike from his hometown to the east, traversing Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hebei provinces, on his way to his destination, Beijing. But the imposing Taihang Mountains, a rugged range that borders the Loess Plateau in the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei, dashed his hopes of taking a shortcut. He had to backtrack to the south and head to Central China's Henan Province first before resuming his north-bound journey.

"It was too challenging for me to scale the 2,882-meter peak where I kept losing signal and direction. So I changed my course," A Bu reminisced in his hotel in Anyang, a city in Henan. "And I misplaced my ID card after I checked into the hotel. I was frantic and clueless until I found it cunningly tucked in my duvet."

He stayed there for two days and visited the Yin Ruins, a renowned historical site that once served as the ancient capital of the late Shang Dynasty (c.1600BC-1046BC). This has become part of his routine when visiting each city: Snapping a photo in front of a landmark building such as the Greater Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an and Shaolin Temple in Zhengzhou.

"Nature is my muse, and my creed is to walk across China," the young explorer declared on his social media account.

He has about 25 days left before completing his 5,000-kilometer odyssey to Beijing. Since February this year, A Bu has spent more than eight months on the road. But this is not his first or toughest trip.

Before his trek to Beijing, the hiking fanatic had explored several trails in uninhabited areas such as the Taklamakan Desert and Duku Highway, the latter being one of China's most scenic roads, a winding stretch of over 500 kilometers between Dushanzi and Kuqa, on China's National Highway 217 in ­Xinjiang.

"I started in April 2022 to travel around the Taklamakan Desert with a friend. We mostly stayed on the national highway so it was fairly safe, and I strongly advise against travelers venturing into the no man's land," A Bu said.

A dream come true 

Inspired by his successful trip on Duku Highway from September 13 to October 3, 2022, the traveler felt a surge of ­confidence and decided to hit the road again, this time bound for the capital city. 

He crafted a wagon himself and took his dog along with food, water, phone chargers, batteries, and a camera. "Every day on the road, I share my experience with my fans on social media. As I approach the end of my trip, I'm delighted to see that many more viewers support me, unlike the beginning when I faced a lot of criticism," he reminisced about the stories and memorable moments that he encountered. 

The extra income earned from livestreaming has helped him cover his daily expenses. "I have made many friends along the way. We encourage and help each other. We exchange hiking experiences and precautions, share the beautiful scenery and what we see and hear along the way, which added a lot of fun to the long journey."

Soon after starting his journey, his dog was killed in a car accident, which shattered him. "As I passed by a small town, a vendor recognized me and learned about my loss. He then gave me another Belgian Shepherd, which I love," A Bu said. 

The young man named his new dog Shunfeng, meaning tailwind, a blessing for both him and his dog. 

Upon his arrival in Beijing, A Bu's first stop will be the Tian'anmen Square. And after that, "I will visit the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and the Palace Museum." 

His plan is to stay in Beijing for a week and take formal transport back to Xinjiang. "I've been away from home for so long and I miss my parents dearly." 

"During my trip, I've seen various landscapes. I've crossed the snow-capped mountains, the grasslands, the Yellow River, and the edge cliffs. We learned the phrase 'China has a vast territory' in school, but it is only after this trip that I've understood the meaning of 'vast territory' in my own way," said the Gen Z explorer.