Shi Kang considered himself a happy man.
Writing 15 novels had made him a millionaire. He owned a luxury apartment and a new silver Mercedes. He was so content with his carefree life in Beijing that he never even traveled overseas.
Today, a year later, Mr. Shi is considering emigrating to the U.S.—one of a growing number of rich Chinese either contemplating leaving their homeland or already arranging to do it....
So what changed Mr. Shi's mind? A year ago, for the first time, he traveled outside China. Initially he just planned to visit a girlfriend studying in New Jersey, but he ended up buying a BMW X3 sport-utility vehicle and doing a 40,000-mile road trip around the U.S....
...with Beethoven blaring on the stereo, he had something of an epiphany.
"As soon as you leave the city, the U.S. is really a big garden," said Mr. Shi. "It's like a symphony: When Chinese people listen to these idyllic pastoral tunes, they can't picture it, because China just doesn't have these things."
Behind the pay wall in
The Wall Street Journal.
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