Thirsting for Adventure

I spent much of the time looking over this issue in a state of open-mouthed wonder. When we initially discussed what we would include in an issue on adventure， we envisioned all kinds of extreme sportsmen winging their way across the pages. Instead， editors Ginger Huang and Zhu Beijing went the extra mile to track down some truly exceptional characters， for whom adventure is more a life quest than something they do as a sport or hobby.

From Yang Baoquan， a Dongbei native who literally flies his DIY gliders in the face of convention， to Lei Diansheng， a farmer whose mission to personally document the customs of China’s 55 minority groups led him on an 81，000-km trek across the country， these atypical adventurers are all the more inspiring for the outlandish pursuits to which they have devoted their lives. Follow their stories from page 40.

Many also genuinely deserve to be described as awe-inspiring， not just because of the arduous or dangerous nature of their achievements， but because they’ve discovered ways to contribute to society while living out their personal dreams. For example， Li Leshi’s astounding achievement of becoming the first Chinese woman to summit Qomolangma was just a part of her wider work exploring， documenting and researching the world’s polar regions， so as to pass on to future generations the knowledge they will need to ensure their protection.

Li follows in the hallowed footsteps of a fine tradition of ancient adventurers， whose exploits we revive in our “Wanderers of the Middle Kingdom” feature (see page 26)， beginning with Xuanzang’s seventh century quest to retrieve Buddhist sutras from India and culminating in Tom Carter’s photo mapping of the Chinese mainland’s furthest regions.

Liz Tung also investigates the most recent 30 years of Chinese backpacking， tracing its revolution-inspired origins through to the more familiar lust for self-discovery that informs contemporary travelers (see page 50).

With summer around the corner and all of this wonderful country to explore， I just hope this issue inspires you to escape la vie quotidian and seek some life-changing adventures of your own.