A 35-year-old Chinese man deems marriage and work useless and lives in a cave instead. Min Hengcai, originally from China's Sichuan province, was working as a ride-hailing driver, often for 10 hours a day, to repay family debts. However, he found this existence unfulfilling and, in 2021, made the drastic decision to seek a life of seclusion away from the pressures of city living, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
The ex-cab driver sought seclusion from city pressures. Despite owing $42,000 to banks, Min Hengcai has ceased attempts to repay the debt, stating disappointment after his relatives sold his properties. He reportedly traded his land for a smaller plot that includes a 50-square-metre cave, into which he invested $6,000 to transform it into his current, modest home.
Min traded his land for a smaller plot with a cave he turned into a home. His daily routine is remarkably minimalist: waking at 8 AM, he dedicates his time to reading, walking, and tending to his land, before retiring at 10 PM. He subsists primarily on homegrown vegetables, keeping his expenses to bare essentials. Min refers to his cave as a "black hole," a personal reminder of his perceived insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
He spends most of his days tending to his land, reading and sleeping at 10 pm.
While embracing a life of solitude, Min Hengcai has paradoxically gained a significant online presence, sharing his experiences on social media and accumulating 40,000 followers. This online engagement also presents a potential source of income through live-streaming. He claims that this simple existence is what he had yearned for during his time in the city.
His ironic fame on the internet doesn't faze him; he is adamant this is his simple existence.
In a candid statement to Sichuan Television, Min also dismissed the concept of marriage, labelling it "a waste of time and money," believing the chances of finding true love are too remote to justify the effort. "The probability of finding true love is very low. Why would I want to work hard for something so rare?" he questioned.
He believes finding true love is almost impossible, so why waste time on something unachievable?
His unconventional lifestyle has ignited intense discussion across Chinese social media. Some commentators have categorised him as "tang ping," a term meaning "lying flat," used to describe those who choose to do the bare minimum in life and reject the societal rat race. Conversely, many have lauded him as a "true philosopher" for his rejection of mainstream societal norms, particularly noteworthy given his basic education. "This is life in heaven," one user commented, expressing admiration for his choice.
The opinions on Min seem divided, some hailing him as a Tang Ping, while others hail him as a modern philosopher.
However, not all reactions have been positive. Some critics have questioned the true extent of his isolation, pointing out that his engagement with live-streaming and giving interviews seems contradictory to a completely secluded lifestyle, raising questions about the authenticity of his claims. Some netizens call out his hypocritical internet fame, despite his longing for a simple life.
Disclaimer: This information has been provided by a third party. India TV does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims made.
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