The light beyond our sight

After witnessing a demonstration from Zhao Qiubao on how he books and completes rides alone using his phone and AI, a taxi driver in Guangzhou gained a profound new understanding of the visually impaired community.

For Zhao, such exchanges are everyday scenes. Once a mid-level manager in a state-owned enterprise, he lost his sight in 2017 due to retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that gradually robs people of vision.

Today, with his guide dog Alpha at his side and technology in hand, he is traveling across the country on a journey he calls "Walking through China" (Xingzou Zhongguo).

He documents his experiences — navigating subways, checking into hotels, strolling unfamiliar streets in new cities — and shares his short videos that have attracted more than 1 million followers on Douyin, a popular Chinese short-video platform.

The road back to life was not simple. When Zhao's vision began to fail, months of numbness and despair followed. Everyday routines turned into obstacles, and anxiety weighed heavily on his life, career and family.

"Every minor task felt like a daunting hurdle," he recalls. "The struggle was not only about losing sight. It was the psychological wall of fear that held me back."

The first step toward change was unexpectedly simple. About six months later, he applied for a disability certificate, an act that helped him accept his new identity. At the same time, he began exploring the accessibility features on his phone and computer — screen readers, voice prompts, haptic feedback.

"Technology was the first light," Zhao says. "It gave me back daily life." With a renewed willingness to connect with society, he decided to apply for a guide dog.

In 2019, Alpha entered Zhao's life. Trained to follow commands, practice orientation in real environments, and walk entire routes alongside him, the guide dog gradually built trust and companionship.

For Zhao, Alpha is not only an assistant but also a friend, a constant companion. "When I crouch down, Alpha licks my face, just like dogs do with each other," he says.

The bond gave Zhao the confidence to take bigger steps. With Alpha by his side, he began to travel farther and longer.

The 43-year-old launched "Walking through China" in March this year, not as a grand project but as a way to stay alive to the world. "Water that flows doesn't stagnate," he says. "By moving, I feel alive."

Since then, he has spent time in 14 cities, from Sanya, Hainan province, and Changsha, Hunan province, to Beijing and Kunming, Yunnan province. His travels rarely follow detailed plans. Inspiration comes from a song, a book, or simply the desire to taste a local dish. "The best moments are the unexpected ones," he says.

Along the way, encounters with strangers became defining memories. In Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, a taxi driver narrated landmarks along the ride. On his way to the Dounan Flower Market in Southwest China's Kunming, passersby and subway workers offered directions and conversation.

"Public transport is the first impression of a city," Zhao says. "When the welcome is kind, I want to explore more."

His videos resonate online by opening a window into the daily lives of the visually impaired and challenging stereotypes. They have also inspired more people like him to brave the world and explore more possibilities.

"Not seeing is not a defect," Zhao says. "It's simply a characteristic and another way of sensing the world."

The encouragement is mutual. "I read comments before I head out, and they give me courage," he says. "It's not just me inspiring others. Their words remind me to keep going."

More than 17 million people in China are visually impaired, according to the China Association of Persons with Visual Disabilities. Since the implementation of the law on the construction of a barrier-free living environment, which took effect in September 2023, the country has significantly improved accessibility, boosting the social participation of people with disabilities while protecting their rights, Legal Daily reported.

The progress is visible through Zhao's travel lens. He also frames accessibility as a shared benefit. Ramps, elevators and audio signals help people with disabilities, and also people in need including elderly residents, parents with strollers, or travelers with heavy luggage.

"We all have moments of disability," he says. "That is why barrier-free design matters to everyone, and it shows humanistic care."

His next stop remains undecided. He keeps three suitcases always packed and leaves when impulse strikes, guided more by feeling than schedule.

"I didn't begin this to inspire anyone," Zhao says. "But if people see me and realize we are not so different, that is enough."