On August 21, Sohu.com founder, Chairman and CEO Zhang Chaoyang revealed detailed plans for his upcoming 8-kilometer swimming challenge across the Nanao Island Strait scheduled for September 14. He described this challenge as both a test of his physical limits and a promotional event for the upcoming autumn Sohu.com video blogger conference.

"Life lies in movement, and one must constantly challenge oneself while living," Zhang stated during a media dialogue.

The September 14 challenge will involve an 8-kilometer breaststroke swim across the Longmen Bay Strait at Nanao Island, marking Zhang's latest self-improvement endeavor following last year's 4.15-kilometer swim across Weihai Bay.

Zhang acknowledged that this swimming challenge serves dual purposes as both a personal goal and promotional activity for Sohu.com's autumn video blogger conference. "The autumn Sohu.com video blogger conference will be held on September 21, and this swim serves as a way to generate excitement for the event," he revealed.

Despite the increased distance, Zhang expressed confidence about the challenge while acknowledging multiple risks involved. These include potential hypothermia from cold seawater, continuous sneezing caused by nasal exposure to cold water, jellyfish stings, complex ocean currents, and water ingestion from waves.

Following his training session, Zhang explained that open water temperatures typically range from 25°C to 26°C, creating a 10°C difference from body temperature. Due to the high thermal conductivity between skin and water, swimming continuously for over an hour poses serious hypothermia risks. This explains why the English Channel, with year-round water temperatures of 10°C to 18°C and a nearly 40-kilometer crossing distance, is considered an extreme challenge.

To prepare for the 8-kilometer crossing, Zhang has maintained a rigorous training schedule for the past month, alternating daily between 5-kilometer runs and 5-kilometer swims.

During the dialogue, Zhang encouraged everyone to "challenge themselves" by showcasing their skills and passions on social media platforms, achieving self-worth and cognitive improvement through audience interaction.

Regarding his commitment to rigorous mathematical derivations in "Zhang Chaoyang's Physics Class," he emphasized that content accuracy should take priority over simplified explanations. "In the era of video self-media, everything is recorded. If viewers don't fully understand during live broadcasts, they can watch replays for review, with search engines and AI tools available for assistance."

He noted that "Zhang Chaoyang's Physics Class" live replay sessions typically exceed one hour, qualifying as long-form video content that can also be edited into short clips lasting several seconds. Zhang revealed that his fourth physics book, focusing on general relativity, is expected to be published in October or November.