

One man in Zhengzhou has become known for his amazing addiction to chili peppers, gobbling them down by the handful as if his life depends on it at the ludicrous rate of 2.5 kilos a day.

Recently, a local reporter caught up with Li Yongzhi, the man known as the “Chili King,” to get to know a little bit more about his peculiar habit. In his yard, Li grows eight different varieties of chili from across the globe.



He told reporters that since he was young he loved to eat peppers, three meals a day, he could be without meat or eggs, but he could never be without chili, happiness was spiciness.

“In the morning, other people always brush their teeth, but the first thing I do is eat chili and rinse my mouth with that,” he said. “If the food has no spiciness then it has no taste.”

Each night while relaxing he will enjoy a light snack of chili peppers eating them like they are melon seeds, one by one by one by one.



10 years ago his eldest son was struck by a car with the vehicle fleeing the scene. His son had to have his leg amputated and the family spent hundreds of thousands of yuan on medical expenses. He would spend all his time at his son’s hospital bedside, only popping out for the occasional meal. “At that time, I would eat two bowls of chili peppers, drink some water, and then go right back to the hospital,” he remembers.

While eating 2.5 kilos of chili peppers a day might not sound great for your body, he says that he has experienced no problems. “I don’t have any supernatural powers,” he says. I just like to eat them, so I eat them. The hospital checked and they said that I am no different from anyone else.”



For him, heaven is a place on Earth.

Red hot chili peppers in Xinjiang! Posted by Shanghaiist on Tuesday, October 13, 2015