A young man in China who rode an electric motorcycle from his hometown in eastern China to Tibet has helped a woman realise her wish of bringing her deceased son’s photo to a stone renowned for being the closest place to heaven.
Dou Jiaqi, who recently turned 18, completed his electric motorcycle journey from Xinyi, a small city in Jiangsu province, to Lhasa on November 24, as reported by the Xuzhou Daily.
The 4,800-km journey took him 11 days, according to the report.
About a week before Dou reached his destination, an internet user from Xinyi, who had come across his road trip videos on social media, left him a message in the comment section.
“You are very brave. Are you experiencing any altitude sickness? Will you visit the Stone of Rebirth?” the woman asked. “I am a mother who donated my marrow and stem cells to my son and did everything I could to save his life, but I still lost him.”
“I have always wished to go to Tibet because it is the place closest to heaven. I want to place my son’s picture there, but I am unable to go due to health issues. I admire you! Please take care of yourself, kid,” the internet user said.
The Stone of Rebirth is located on the sacred Mount Kailash in the Ali Prefecture of Western Tibet. The rock, standing at 5,700 metres above sea level, has gained popularity in China over the past year, as many people have placed photos of their deceased loved ones on it. Some visitors also leave photos of their beloved pets on the stone.
Dou then replied to the woman: “Send me the picture.”
The mother sent a photo of her son, nicknamed Xuanning, to Dou online, and he found a store along the way to print it.
On November 24, Dou released a video showing him presenting Xuanning’s photo in front of the Potala Palace, a landmark in central Lhasa.
“It’s unfortunate that Mount Kailash is closed due to the extreme cold. I have not fulfilled the auntie’s wish,” Dou captioned his video.
The mother responded: “You are already amazing, kid! You’ve brought Xuanning’s picture to the Potala Palace. This auntie has no regrets now. Please return home safely.”
The next day, the woman left another message: “Tears have been rolling down my cheeks since yesterday. I haven’t been happy since Xuanning died six years ago. The last time I felt happiness was when the doctors told me my stem cell matched my son’s.”
“Thank you, kid. You have shown me the greatest love in this world. Best wishes to the kind and brave you!” the woman added.
This heartwarming story garnered a wave of compliments across the mainland Chinese internet for Dou.
“You are incredibly handsome! You are a real man!” praised one online observer.
Another echoed: “You are such a good example. Hats off to you.” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
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