China hiker, dubbed uncle at 24 years old, reveals reason behind rugged looks

A young man who has been hiking through China has recently earned the "uncle" nickname from netizens due to his rugged appearance.

The 24-year-old, who is from Hebei, was formerly known as Traveller Taishan on Douyin.

However, he recently changed his username to Post-00s Uncle, addressing comments which refer to him as uncle as he looks much older than he is.

The man's Douyin account documents his journey as he hikes along the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau over the past five months.

Speaking to his followers during a livestream, the man explained that the strong UV rays and high altitude of the plateau caused his rugged appearance, reported Sohu News.

He started balding prematurely and getting wrinkles as his hair follicles and skin were damaged due to consistent sun exposure, he said.

"There would be a burning sensation on my scalp, and my hair would fall out in clumps."

The man added that he maintains a full beard to protect his face from sunburn.

Some netizens watching his livestream advised him to "fix himself up" during the livestream, but he waved his hand and said: "What do you want me to fix up? No, I'm fine the way I am."

He also said in a video that he is often called big brother or uncle by other hikers, which prompts him to show them his identity card and tell them he was born in December 2000.

This is often met with shock and disbelief.

The man has also shown his identity card during a livestream and shared a photo of himself before he started hiking on his Douyin account to prove his age to his followers, reported the South China Morning Post.

In the old picture, he has a full head of hair and clean-shaven face, making him look much younger than he currently does.

The young man discovered his love for hiking after his ex-girlfriend broke up with him while he was working on freight ship in Indonesia, he said in the same Douyin livestream.

According to him, he had been depressed and unable to live a normal life after the break-up. Since it was said that hiking along the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau could "purify one's mind", he decided to give it a go.

He has met many new people since he started his journey in end-February and even picked up stray dog which now accompanies him on his travels.

One video shows him in a makeshift kitchen, whipping up a meal for his companions with a smile on his face, while another shows him playing with his dog.

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bhaya.rawat@asiaone.com