??? Tina Chen ????“PLEASE cherish the one love you!” Liu Peiwen, a 29-year-old Henan native, wrote on his microblog last Chinese Valentine’s Day. ????Liu’s girlfriend had just rejected his marriage proposal in Guangzhou, which came after a 1,800-km walk several days before the festival. ????Liu set out in June from Anyang City, Henan Province, last year after the girl had promised him her hand in marriage if he walked from Anyang to Guangzhou. ????The proposal was ill-fated. The girl’s parents thought the idealistic Liu would not provide a good life for their daughter. ????“I don’t feel too badly about it,” said Liu, “but obviously some people think me silly. True love need not carry regret.”???? ????Walk for love ????Liu graduated from Sichuan Art School. ????He made a living by organizing outdoor events and playing minor roles in movies and television series. ????Liu met the girl in Guangzhou when he was hosting an event. ????“She was selling tickets at Guangzhou Railway Station,” said Liu. “When we got together, we opened a clothes shop.” ????When the girl joked that she would marry him if he walked from his hometown to Guangzhou, Liu took it seriously and arranged it. ????“I hoped we would be married by the end of 2011,” said Liu. “I want a family.” ????Liu said his parents had also prepared everything for a wedding. ????He made a small red flag with a slogan that translates as “Eager to meet my mother-in-law.” ????With the flag waving on top of his 10-kg backpack, Liu started his walk June 24, 2011. ????When he told his girlfriend he was only a week away, she was horrified and tried to talk him out of completing the walk. But Liu persevered.??? ????Tweeting his walk ????During the walk, Liu kept followers of his microblog updated on his progress. The number of followers increased considerably in the process. He now has thousands of microblog fans. ????He was given the nickname “Emperor Propose,” for sacrificing so much to make a proposal. ????“Originally I planned to complete the walk in a month and a half, but I gradually realized it would take at least six months,” said Liu. ????Guided by a compass, he walked about 40 km each day in baking heat. He would take pictures of the road signs and upload them to let his microblog followers know where he was. ????“I had to drink about 20 bottles of water a day,” said Liu. ????“On the ninth day, I burst into tears,” he said. “My feet were covered in blisters which had all burst.” ????“My feelings were a mixture of loneliness, pain, confusion and bitterness. I felt I could not continue.” ????Liu decided to alternate between walking and cycling. “I would walk when going uphill and cycle when going downhill.” ????“I would progress by about 60 km per day.” ????Locals in Xinyang, Henan Province, thought Liu was a vagrant. ????“It rained heavily that day and I couldn’t find shelter.” ????“I had my most frightening experience in Hunan Province. I saw about 30 cattle on the road and there didn’t seem to be a herder.” ????“The cows stared at me as I passed them. I was afraid that my red flag would enrage them.” ????Liu wrote on his microblog July 21: “The closer I got to my destination the more I worried. Does anybody know how to please my future mother-in-law?” ????“God bless me. I will arrive tomorrow,” he posted July 27.???? ????Still seeking ????His proposal moved many people. He was dubbed a “real man,” and a “romantic wanderer.” ????An unidentified netizen in Hunan Province sent him some water and fruit to support him during his walk. ????But some also expressed their concern. ????A netizen identified as Xinqiao said the walk proves Liu’s sincerity, but a good marriage requires more than just sincerity. ????“I have walked thousands of miles for you and you’re still not impressed.” Liu said on the day he arrived in Guangzhou on July 28. ????Liu’s girlfriend switched off her mobile phone after she sent a text message to him saying “I will not spend the rest of my life with you.” ????“I arrived in Guangzhou at about 1:30 that afternoon. And arriving on the same day were her parents who would prevent her from seeing me,” said Liu. ????“They said she would marry a man who works in the government and who was able to afford a house and a car. ????“It is a reasonable complaint, because I have nothing to my name,” he said. ????“Life is short and I am glad I was so proactive in expressing my love,” said Liu. ????Liu is now seeking a partner on the Internet. He hopes to find someone who is kind and who values true love over material things. | 