A Chinese man has drawn widespread attention after giving up an elite lifestyle to live homeless, managing to survive on just 100 yuan (US$14) a month.
According to a report by South China Morning Post, 32-year-old Zhao Dian spent his early years in Shanghai before moving to New Zealand at the age of ten. He went on to become an academic achiever, securing two bachelor’s degrees and three master’s degrees in finance while living in Sydney, New York, Beijing and Paris. Despite this success, Zhao described his educational journey as a “shackle” shaped by relentless parental pressure.
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Troubled childhood and search for meaning
Zhao recalled a strained relationship with his parents, citing his father’s harsh discipline for being left-handed and his mother’s inability to understand his struggles. Although he studied in some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, Zhao admitted that he often felt profoundly lonely, finding comfort only among fellow Chinese expatriates. His perspective shifted in Paris, where he worked in the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant. “Washing dishes could bring happiness, so why wait for an ideal job?” he remarked.
A new life in Yunnan
In 2023, Zhao returned to China and briefly worked as a waiter at a beer festival and in a hotel. By last year he had moved to Dali, Yunnan, where he decided to live on the streets. His routine now begins at 7am and ends by 9pm, with occasional showers at hostels. He eats at free vegetarian restaurants, does his laundry in hotels and sustains himself on a modest monthly budget. His second-hand clothes, an e-reader, and his savings of around 2,500 yuan are his only possessions.
Seeking connection and purpose
Although Zhao has cut ties with his parents in New Zealand, he maintains online contact with his ten-year-old daughter from a past relationship in New York. He told SCMP that he has had nine romantic relationships but continues to long for deeper bonds. Alongside reading and travelling, he spends time organising book clubs and sharing psychological counselling videos. He has also launched a project to help children explore career experiences, hoping to spare them the sense of being lost that he believes many young people face in toxic educational environments.
{{/usCountry}}Although Zhao has cut ties with his parents in New Zealand, he maintains online contact with his ten-year-old daughter from a past relationship in New York. He told SCMP that he has had nine romantic relationships but continues to long for deeper bonds. Alongside reading and travelling, he spends time organising book clubs and sharing psychological counselling videos. He has also launched a project to help children explore career experiences, hoping to spare them the sense of being lost that he believes many young people face in toxic educational environments.
{{/usCountry}}For Zhao, choosing a low-cost lifestyle outside the mainstream has brought a stronger sense of fulfilment.