Driving change, one pothole at a time: A digger driver's journey through Xizang
When Xiaohe set out to drive an excavator across west China's Xizang Autonomous Region, it seemed like a whimsical adventure. But along the winding mountain roads, his journey evolved into something far more consequential: a one-man mission to make treacherous roads safer, one pothole at a time.
The 31-year-old content creator, known for his Bilibili account "Xiaohe Digger Vlog," has filled over 7,000 potholes since June, turning his unconventional road trip into an act of public service. These aren't ordinary cracks in the asphalt – they're massive craters, some deep enough to earn the nickname "shell craters."
For drivers in Xizang, where roads can be treacherous and unpredictable, Xiaohe's efforts are more than a novelty. High-altitude roads, prone to snowstorms even in May, combined with geological hazards, make maintenance a constant challenge. A single pothole can easily disable a vehicle – or worse.
Local Xizang people gave He hada, a piece of silk used as a greeting gift, as a thank you for his good deeds.
Xiaohe's journey began with a personal ordeal. In February, he was stranded on a snowy highway in Hubei Province for three days, his food supplies dwindling. When hope was almost lost, local villagers arrived with hot water, instant noodles, and porridge. They refused his offer of payment. "It's free," they told him. "We're just doing what we can."
That act of kindness stayed with him. By June, Xiaohe was back on the road – this time, behind the controls of his excavator. His destination: Xizang. His mission: to help others as he had once been helped.
In February, he was stranded on a snowy highway for three days during an unexpected blizzard.
Local residents give drivers hot water, instant noodles, and porridge for free.
His first act of service came on the third day of his trip, when he helped a truck driver adjust a cargo container that had shifted dangerously. The job took just ten minutes, and his reward? A bottle of energy drink.
The truck driver asked for He's help.
On day 22, Xiaohe encountered his first "bomb crater" – a pothole so large it could wreck a vehicle. Instead of navigating around it, he hauled a bucket of stones to fill the gap. By nightfall, he had repaired nine more. His efforts didn't go unnoticed. A bus driver, relieved to see the safer road, handed Xiaohe another energy drink as a token of gratitude.
When He was about to finish filling up a bomb crater, a bus quickly drives by.
That night, Xiaohe uploaded a video of his work to Bilibili. It quickly went viral, amassing over 1.3 million views. His simple catchphrase – "I see a hole, I fill it" – struck a chord with viewers.
The video gained 1.3 million of views on Bilibili.com.
Over the past six months, Xiaohe's videos have chronicled his work repairing over 7,000 potholes. His followers have crowned him with a slew of affectionate nicknames: "The Road Repair Sage," "Cyber Lei Feng," and "Excavator Bodhisattva."
But for Xiaohe, the recognition is secondary. His actions, he says, are an extension of the kindness he received during that snowy February in Hubei.
"Xiaohe isn't just fixing roads; he's rebuilding trust and hope," one follower commented on his latest video. "He shows how one person can make a difference, even with just a digger."
