Ekrem Demirkale, a 23-year-old Turkish overseas student in China, who also calls himself Bai Zhenguo, said he aims to assist cultural exchanges between China and Turkey to create deeper understanding between the people of both countries.

Bai, who has been studying Chinese and advertisement in Northwest China's Shaanxi Normal University and Northwest University, has become popular online because of his book Unforgettable Days. It tells the story of his 51-day-trip through seven of the nation's provinces in photos and words, a journey covering about 30,000 kilometers and involving over 200 hours on trains.

"Xi'an (capital of Shaanxi province) is a key point on the ancient Silk Road," Bai said. "So I selected it as the beginning of my voyage of discovery."