On chinadaily.com.cn

People: 144-day journey to show gratitude

A man from Horgos, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, spent 144 days riding horses to Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, to show his gratitude to the local government for helping send his daughter to college. Li Zhiyuan, 39, traveled more than 5,000 kilometers to send the local government red silk banners, a traditional way to express gratitude in China. Starting on April 27, Li overcame numerous difficulties and made many friends who helped him and his two horses during the trip. Lianyungang invested more than 36 million yuan ($5.1 million) in establishing the middle school in Horgos in 2009. "Thank you for establishing the Sugang Middle School so that my daughter can receive a good education," he said, adding the girl is becoming the first college student in the family.

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