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There are places in the world that emerge long before you arrive, and Shanghai is one of them. Before arriving, I had formed an image in my mind based on films, newspaper headlines, and social media videos: glass skyscrapers, neon lights, relentless energy, and the future.

However, my first look at mainland China was completely different. Despite numerous visits to Hong Kong, I had never visited mainland China, so I arrived with a mix of curiosity and slight apprehension. The immigration process was surprisingly efficient, luggage appeared with military precision, and soon I was moving through nighttime Shanghai towards Changshu.

Unfortunately, it was pitch black outside, so the journey could have been through Shanghai, or the automotive corridors of Stuttgart, Solihull, or Changchun—who knows. My driver, despite the late hour, was cheerful and shared thoughts about the difficult years of the Covid pandemic, which deeply affected China, before dropping me off at the Garrya Yangcheng Lake Hotel—a beautiful lakeside resort, so tranquil it resembled a place for monks recovering from burnout.

The first sign that I was not in Solihull came moments later. Small robots, very similar to miniature versions of R2-D2 from Star Wars, quietly moved through the corridors, delivering room service. They never complained, asked for tips, and somehow avoided every guest with a frightening confidence that hinted that humanity might be living in rented time.

This became my first encounter with a recurring theme over the next 48 hours: technology performing outstanding things discreetly. The reason for my visit was far more exciting than robotic room service. Together with a small group of journalists from the Middle East, I was invited by the Freelander team for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the company ahead of the launch of the new Freelander 8 in the Middle East later this year.

After the inevitable ceremonies, speeches, and photos accompanying such events, we reached the part everyone had truly come for. The factory. Or perhaps the word 'factory' does not convey the whole picture.

The Freelander superfactory feels less like an industrial facility and more like an entire city dedicated to vehicle production. With investments exceeding $3.1 billion, including significant upgrades for smart new energy vehicle manufacturing, it represents Jaguar Land Rover's first full-scale production base outside the UK, merging British engineering heritage with Chery's advanced manufacturing expertise.

It is impossible not to be impressed inside. Over 1,100 intelligent robots conduct an industrial ballet with astonishing precision. Massive robotic manipulators move effortlessly through the air, lifting doors, engines, chassis components, and body panels with the confidence of someone brewing tea. Sparks fly from the welding stations like fireworks, while conveyor systems silently transport partially assembled vehicles to the next stage of development.

It is strangely hypnotic. The human personnel are no less impressive. Hundreds of engineers and technicians work side-by-side with automation, not competing with it. Complex tools control tolerances measured in fractions of a millimeter, while teams equip the interiors with a level of care more characteristic of elite furniture than mass production.

This is not automation replacing craftsmanship. It is automation enhancing it. What struck me most was the tireless attention to detail. It seemed that every process was governed by a philosophy: if something could be measured, controlled, or improved, it probably already had been. Digital quality systems track every vehicle throughout production, and every Freelander 8 undergoes rigorous testing before leaving the plant. Rain simulations four times more intense than a natural storm, battery sealing tests, ADAS calibration, and electronic checks ensure that every vehicle is ready not just to leave China, but to function reliably, whether it ends up in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or anywhere else in the world.

Equally impressive is the factory's sustainability program. Intelligent energy management, water recycling, and low-carbon manufacturing technologies are implemented throughout the site, emphasizing that modern production increasingly means balancing engineering excellence with environmental responsibility.

Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway was that this was not a carefully staged exhibition. We saw production as it actually happened. There were sparks, noise, unfinished vehicles, organized chaos, and thousands of individual processes working in harmony. It was a real look under the hood—if you forgive the inevitable car enthusiast cliché—at what is truly required to produce a modern premium vehicle.

By the time we left after several hours, the Freelander 8 had become more than just a new model preparing for the UAE market. It had become the product of thousands of people, millions of engineering solutions, and one extremely complex production ecosystem. And after spending the morning watching robots assemble cars with almost alarming certainty, and then taking the wheel for a test drive in the afternoon, it suddenly seemed completely different. You weren't just driving a new SUV. You were driving a remarkable sum of everything you had just seen.

In China, parcel delivery driver Wang Zibin attracted public attention with his poems, which he composed while performing his job duties, and he has now been awarded one of the country's most prestigious literary prizes.

Wang Zibin, 57 years old, is known in China as the 'poet-deliveryman.' He received the poetry category award from the prestigious Lu Shun Prize. This recognition was given to him for his third collection of poems titled 'Low Flight.'

According to the South China Morning Post, Wang has worked as a delivery driver in Kunshan city, Jiangsu province, in eastern China, for about eight years. Around 2020, he began to be recognized as a poet after starting to share his works on social media.

These poems reflect not only his personal life but also the stories of millions of people in China employed as gig workers.

One of his most famous works is the poem 'People Rushing During Rush Hour,' in which he embodied the fates of those constantly racing against time.

To date, Wang has written over 7,000 poems and has published four collections. His first essay collection, 'Chengzhen,' named after his mother, was released this January.

Wang started writing in 1988. At that time, his passion for writing was so strong that he often fell ill and had to go to the hospital. His father disapproved of this habit and once forbade him from writing.

Wang's father burned his manuscript, which contained about two hundred thousand Chinese characters. Despite this incident, Wang did not stop writing. He wrote in his diary: 'I will become a great writer.'

After that, he continued to write for about two decades but kept no records of his creations. During this time, he held various jobs: he worked as a porter at the port, worked at a brick factory, and collected scrap metal on the street. It was the experience of collecting scrap metal that inspired him to give himself the name 'Gatherer' on social media.

Wang's poems also reflect small moments of his life. He wrote about his little finger, which was cut off by a metal sheet while collecting scrap metal and subsequently deformed. While working as a courier, he uses this finger as a kind of 'hook' to carry his bag.

He also wrote a poem about a green tomato left by someone on the roadside. For him, poetry is not just about big and significant things, but also about the small details of daily life.

Upon receiving the award, Wang did not state that his life had changed or that he would stop working as a courier. On the contrary, he clearly stated that he would continue delivering food. Wang believes that literature is not a ladder to escape life. When asked if he felt he had finally achieved success in life, he rejected this idea. He said he never thought he was trying to 'escape life,' and described his life as happy.

Wang also disagreed with those who believe that two decades before fame were wasted. He called these years a 'heavy snowfall' in his life. In his opinion, these years did not change him but rather enriched his life.

Wang's poems have received a large response on social media. One user noted that his words are not overly embellished but are filled with truth and groundedness. His poems reveal the hidden beauty in the lives of ordinary people.

After receiving the award, Wang also drew attention to the difficulties faced by delivery workers in his speech. He urged people not to give low or bad ratings to delivery workers, but to give them more positive feedback.

Wang also emphasized that he does not want to give up the title of 'delivery worker.' He does not seek to shed this self-identification. Relating his life and personality to a river, he said that people will eventually understand that Wang Zibin is like such a river that flows quietly.

During daily morning prayers, the mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya' is often recited. During meditation, an image of a majestic, snow-covered mountain appears before one's eyes, upon whose summit resides Lord Shiva himself. This picture is not a fabrication; such a mountain truly exists—it is Mount Kailash, located in Tibet, near India.

However, the information we are about to reveal may be surprising. Humanity has reached the Moon, tunneled under the sea, and conquered the world's highest mountain, Everest, which people climb today by paying money. But on Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, no one has yet been able to ascend.

Interestingly, Mount Kailash is approximately 2000 meters lower than Mount Everest. Nevertheless, attempts have been made. About a hundred years ago, two British mountaineers discovered a path to this mountain, but something happened at the last moment that forced them to turn back. Can this be considered a coincidence or some kind of omen?

Reinhold Messner, one of the greatest mountaineers in the world, who was granted permission by the Chinese government to climb Kailash, also declined. His final words became a key part of this story: 'If we conquer this mountain, we conquer something in which people's faith lives.'

Why is Mount Kailash so special?

One must consider: if there is a path and the possibility of obtaining permission, what force prevents people? Some claim that time flows differently around Kailash, and nails and hair grow faster. Other legends state that people visiting the vicinity of the mountain age rapidly. However, these claims lack any scientific evidence.

Essentially, these stories are based primarily on rumors and exaggerations. High altitude oxygen scarcity, harsh weather conditions, and psychological pressure can lead a person to delusions. Kailash is sacred not only to Hindus. In Buddhism, it is considered a center for meditation, and according to Jain teachings, the first Tirthankara Rishabhanatha attained liberation here. In Tibetan Bon Buddhism, it is called the soul of the earth. Thus, four great religions regard this mountain with reverence.

Four major rivers originate from the vicinity of Kailash: Sindhu, Satluj, Brahmaputra, and Karnali. The waters of these rivers are a source of life for millions of people. Two lakes, Mansarovar and Rakshas Tal, are located at the foot of Kailash. The water in one lake is fresh and life-giving, while the water in the other is salty and barren. In one place, nature displays two completely different aspects.

Why is the ascent impossible?

In history, several mountaineers have attempted to climb here, but each time they have faced failure. Over time, the belief has strengthened that this mountain is intended not for conquest, but for worship. Today, climbing Mount Kailash is completely forbidden. It is one of those places where humanity recognizes its limits. On Everest, you can find trash, broken equipment, and abandoned bodies. But Kailash remains the same—calm, sacred, and untouched. Perhaps some things are not meant for victory, but only for bowing one's head before them. Mount Kailash is one such mountain.