The Journey to Liberation: Su Min's Road to Self-Discovery

At 60, Su Min has become an accidental feminist icon, using her video diaries to document her journey of liberation from a troubled marriage across China. After enduring years of abuse, she embarked on a transformative road trip that allowed her to reclaim her life, inspiring many women along the way.

Su Min, a 60-year-old Chinese grandmother, has become a beacon of hope for many women grappling with similar situations. Initially seeking to escape an abusive marriage, she hit the road in 2020, embarking on a transformative journey in her white Volkswagen hatchback. “I felt like I could finally catch my breath,” Su Min reflects, recalling the moment she drove away from her past life. Over the next four years, she traveled 180,000 miles, documenting her adventures through video diaries that resonated with millions online—winning her the affectionate title of "road-tripping auntie."

Her story, chronicling personal pain and newfound freedom, evolved into a hit film titled "Like a Rolling Stone," which was released in September. Su Min was even honored on the BBC's list of 100 inspiring and influential women of 2024. If she were to encapsulate this momentous year in a word, it would be "freedom." While she began her journey aiming for independence, it was the filing for divorce in 2024 that marked another pivotal turn in her life.

Describing her new liberated life, Su Min often shares glimpses of her experiences on the road, taking her audience along to stunning locations throughout China—from Xinjiang’s majestic mountains to the serene lakes of Yunnan. Each video not only showcases magnificent landscapes but serves as a candid exploration of her ordeal as a "Chinese auntie" in a traditional society. The encouragement and admiration she receives from followers buoy her spirits, as many express their desire to reclaim their own lives from suffocating marriages and societal expectations.

Having spent years blindly accepting her role as a dutiful wife and mother, Su Min now imparts wisdom gathered from her trials. The challenges she faced within her marriage, including physical abuse, are shared in raw detail, revealing her husband's admission of guilt and an ordinary acceptance of violence in households. With the backdrop of a traditional Chinese perspective on marriage and familial duty, Su Min narrates her own story of self-empowerment and discovery.

Her escape from marriage was ignited by inspiration from a social media post showing van life. Even the pandemic couldn’t deter her; in September 2020, she unchained herself from her past and started her travels across China. Today, she shares her insights with her followers—many of whom see her not just as a source of inspiration, but as a symbol of possibility for a better life.

Women wrestling with their own stagnation have found motivation in Su Min’s journey; her followers find solace in the sense that change is attainable. As she navigates complex divorce proceedings in a system slow to empower women, Su Min dreams of traveling abroad, hoping her story will connect with women worldwide. Ultimately, she emphasizes the necessity of self-love, believing it to be a catalyst for change. "No matter what environment you are in, you must be good to yourself," she urges. In sharing her narrative, Su Min not only chronicles her own journey of liberation but becomes a figure of resilience and hope for countless others.