Sun Dingguo rewarded himself with his 36th Olympic-themed tattoo after completing a 10-month journey across China, pedaling his rickshaw for the glory of the Beijing Games.
Sun, 30, one of China’s so-called Olympic “madmen,” gave up his job last year to devote his entire life — and his body — to the Olympics.
“I dropped my job, I dropped all my dreams, I dropped the chance to get a girlfriend,” he said, admiring the new “One world, One dream” slogan etched on his stomach at a tattoo parlor in Beijing.
“I dropped everything but the promotion of the Olympic spirit with only one thought. I cannot have other thoughts. I must keep one thought in mind, or I cannot reach my goal,” he said.
Sun’s tattoo mania began in July 2001 — when China was awarded the Games — and his body is now a walking billboard depicting the symbols of different sports, China’s Olympic logo and “Beijing 2008,” among others.
Not content with that, Sun decided to leave his job as a rickshaw driver in Zhejiang Province last year and to pedal round several provinces with the aim of collecting thousands of signatures supporting the Games.
Sun is just one of a number of Chinese “madmen” who have dropped everything to perform eye-catching stunts in the run-up to the Aug. 8 through Aug. 24 Games.
One man decided to stick 2,008 needles in his head, face, hands and chest to commemorate the Olympic Games, media say.
Another set off from Xinjiang Province in August 2005 and has already walked 40,000km, going through every province in the country, and aiming to get to Beijing next month.
But unlike many others, Sun’s sacrifice is permanent.
While his hair, cut in five Olympic rings and dyed in the colors of the Games, will grow out, his 36 tattoos are indelible.
“As a common Chinese citizen, I want to transmit this feeling of joy, and to tell friends from all over the world what the Olympic spirit is,” he said.
Setting off with just 200 yuan (US$30) in his pocket more than 10 months ago, Sun pedaled through 45 cities in five provinces, filling 13 diary notebooks and collecting 300,000 signatures that he intends to present to the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee.
He relied on the kindness of strangers for food and water, and slept in a tiny, cramped space at the back of his rickshaw.
His family argued against the idea, saying he should settle down and get married, but Sun said his love of the Olympics took over.
“I want to train and test myself through hardship and diligence, and also to challenge myself. I think this is the Olympic spirit,” he said.
As he cycled in Beijing, his colorful rickshaw, covered from wheel to roof with pictures of the Olympics, lists of businesses that helped him on the way, and a countdown to the Games, stopped bystanders in their tracks.
Sun’s rap song that he made up along the way was performed with great relish to anyone who would listen.
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