On dream trip to Beijing, China’s ‘Ice Boy’ experiences warmth of central heating for first time

But the 8-year-old said that he still wants to go back to his school in rural Yunnan, because that’s where all his friends are

Over the weekend, a little boy from rural Yunnan province lived out his dream of visiting Beijing where he learned about becoming a police officer, visited Tiananmen Square, and experienced the wonder of indoor central heating.

8-year-old Wang Fuman became an internet sensation earlier this month after a photo of him arriving at his primary school in mountainous Zhaotong County with his hair and eyebrows covered in ice went viral online. To get to school each day, Wang must walk 4.5 kilometers. On that particular morning, he had to make the hour-long trek as temperatures dropped to a frigid -8 degrees Celsius outside.

The photo completely changed Wang’s life, as well as the lives of many other impoverished children in Yunnan province with netizens being inspired to donate nearly 3 million yuan to the province’s youth development fund, including 100,000 yuan that was given directly to the boy’s school.

Suddenly, Wang, dubbed China’s little “Ice Boy” (冰花男孩), was being interviewed by media outlets from across the country. He told them that when he grows up he wants to become a police officer so he can help catch bad people, that his New Year’s resolution is to study hard and make some money to buy medicine for his sick grandma, and that the place he most wants to visit is Beijing, so he can see how students there study.

Wang had never before left his home village, much less flown on a plane. He lived in ramshackle home with his older sister and elderly grandmother. His mother had left the family and his father was a migrant worker, returning home only once or maybe twice a year.

But that one photo has changed everything for the little boy. Soon, his father came back home to deal with his son’s newfound fame and has been offered a better job nearby. His family has also received more than 10,000 yuan in donations and on Friday afternoon they arrived in Beijing for a three-day “dream vacation.”

The trip was organized and funded by chinapeace.gov.cn, a propaganda website run by the Communist Party’s Political and Legislative Affairs Committee. During his time in Beijing, Wang paid a visit to the People’s Public Security University of China where he met with instructors and students and learned about becoming a police officer.

He also got up early one morning and watched the Chinese flag being raised at Tiananmen Square from his father’s shoulders.

But perhaps the thing that impressed Wang the most about Beijing was its indoor heating.

“It’s very cold at home, but very warm in Beijing. At home, we have to burn charcoal at night for warmth. In Beijing, the rooms are so warm — I only need to wear one layer of clothing. This is the first time I’ve come across heating, it really is a miracle,” he is quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.

“I want to see how children in Beijing go to school, and whether they need to walk a long way every day.”

They do not. Wang’s father said that he hopes his son can stay in Beijing and study, however, the little boy insisted at a press conference that he doesn’t want to leave his primary school in rural Yunnan because he has many friends there — though he did add that he hopes his school will be fixed up a bit.

Wang also said that he wishes that his mom will soon return home and thanked everyone for showing him kindness and support.

“I’m very grateful for all of your support. When I grow up, I will pay you all back,” he said.

[Images via NetEase / Btime.com]