Sense of discovery

Hiking along rail lines in a remote urban area of Beijing offers city residents the chance to discover something new.

Zhang Tianjia, 37, who works as a producer in the advertising industry, said she feels relaxed and happy interacting with nature during hikes — feelings she rarely experiences in her work.

Born in Hulunbuir city, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Zhang has lived in Beijing since 2002.

She feels that living in a large city such as Beijing inevitably results in competition.

"In the city, you view some of the troubles you face as being significant … You cannot escape these things at such times, and you tend to magnify them to the point where they become extremely worrying," she said.

When she took a hike along the railway line on Dec 13, she experienced vastly different feelings.

"When you go to an open and remote place far from the urban area, you start to realize that it has remained unchanged for more than 100 years," Zhang said.

"Whether it's the rail track or the switchman's cabin, you feel that everything around you has a far longer history than yourself, and that it has experienced way more than you have. Suddenly, you realize that your own worries don't seem as huge anymore."

For Zhang, hiking along the abandoned rail line is primarily aimed at embracing nature and reducing her anxiety.

"It doesn't necessarily solve any major problems, but the change in my mindset as a result of being close to nature makes me feel more relaxed," she said.

Zhang, whose parents worked in the railway industry for a long time, said that since childhood she has traveled more by train than by airplane, and has developed a deep-seated affection for railways.

The views she experiences along the line rekindle her early memories of living near the railway.