By Lei Lei (China Daily/The Olympian)
Updated: 2008-03-29 11:18

ATHENS, Greece - Postman Quan Erping will carry a different package - and pound a different route on Saturday - as an Olympic torchbearer.

For Quan, who during the past 17 years has shuttled to and fro on zigzagging roads in a mountainous area of Inner Mongolia, holding the Olympic flame in Greece was something he never dreamed of.

"I never expected that one day I would become an Olympic torchbearer, although delivering mail is somewhat close to a torch relay," said Quan, who was nominated by Lenovo, a sponsor of the Beijing Olympic torch relay.

The difference is that his daily route is much more longer than the 200-m jog for torchbearers. For years, he has had to travel up to 100 km a day, earlier on a bicycle, now on a motorcycle.

He not only delivers mail and packages, but goes out of his way to take care of the elderly and disabled people along the way, although he earns only a meager 500 yuan ($70) a month.

Local people call his motorcycle a "free shuttle" - he uses it to transport for them fertilizers and plastic film in spring, pesticide and vegetables in summer and ovens and pipes in winter.

Quan Erping

He also organized local people to repair a bumpy mountainous road in two years so that the villagers can now easily travel to the nearest towns to sell their produce.

"I cannot leave them. They are part of my life," said the 37-year-old Quan, when he declined invitations from his relatives to join in their business.

Last year, Quan was named one of the "Top 10 Persons who Moved Inner Mongolia" and was chosen for a TV contest selecting Olympic torchbearers.

"I was very nervous to be on a TV program," Quan recalled. "And when I came to know I was chosen, I was very excited."

Before attending the contest, Quan's knowledge about the Games came only from sports programs on TV. But now, he has a deeper understanding.

"The Olympic torchbearer should pass on the spirit of peace and progress," he said.

Arriving in Athens on Friday, Quan brought his own gift to the Olympics - a piece of embroidery made by his wife, a teacher in the local school, and her colleagues.

They embroidered a hundred Chinese characters of "Fu", which means good luck, in different calligraphic styles,

"I will deliver it to the Hellenic Olympic Committee," he said.