Man in China lives alone in cave after quitting city job, says work & marriage are a waste of time
Fed up with the daily grind, a 35-year-old man in China has abandoned city life entirely, choosing instead to live alone in a cave.
Min Hengcai now spends his days reading, farming, and living off the land in rural Sichuan.
Once a ride-hailing driver working 10-hour shifts, he says he’s finally at peace, away from the rat race, debt, and what he calls the pointless pursuit of marriage.
Man leaves urban life, lives alone in cave
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Min has been living in the cave for the past four years.
Before that, he earned around RM10,000 (S$1,800) a month driving for a ride-hailing app while struggling to pay off debts.
On top of money owed to relatives, he was RMB300,000 (S$53,600) in debt to banks and lenders.
Eventually, Min decided that enough was enough. With no hope of clearing his loans — and after his relatives reportedly sold off his property — he gave up on urban life altogether and returned to his hometown in Sichuan.
From land owner to cave dweller
Back in the countryside, Min traded his original land for a smaller plot owned by another village.
His new land included a 50-square-metre cave, which he transformed into his new home. The renovation cost him RMB40,000 (S$7,200), but he said it was worth every cent.
Source: South China Morning Post
Since then, he’s built a minimalist life: growing his own vegetables, taking long walks, and reading daily. While it may sound extreme to some, Min says this was always his dream when he was slogging away in the city.
Ironically, while seeking solitude, Min has gained a following of over 40,000 people on social media, where he shares snippets of his peaceful lifestyle.
Source: South China Morning Post
Calls marriage a ‘waste of time and money’
In a recent interview with a local news outlet, Min doubled down on his views and called the notion a “waste of time and money”.
Asked about marriage, he dismissed it outright.
“The probability of finding true love is very low,” he said. “Why would I want to work hard for something so rare?”
He described both marriage and modern jobs as unnecessary burdens, choosing instead to live life on his own terms.
Min’s story has been met with a mixed response online. While some envy his idyllic lifestyle, others have criticised him for “pretending” to be a recluse while actively livestreaming and giving media interviews.
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Featured image adapted from South China Morning Post.
