Chongqing—Chongqing's Monster Tribe is a community designed like a game aimed at personal growth by encouraging exercise, reading, and meditation. Its gamified approach teaches users scientific self-management skills, enhances focus and willpower, and improves physical and mental health so they can better face life's challenges.

Hu Zhongkai, also known as Kan Erye, the CEO and founder of Monster Tribe, is a former youth who declined a full scholarship to Stanford University to pursue entrepreneurship.

After gaining admission to Stanford, Kan Erye discovered that civil engineering was not his true passion. In a period of uncertainty, as entrepreneurship was gaining momentum, he and a few peers chose to enter the rapidly growing field of the internet in Hangzhou, home to Alibaba, a major Chinese e-commerce giant.

"At the time, I felt I could change the world, full of passion," reminisced Kan Erye. Yet, the entrepreneurial journey was not easy. After his first venture failed, he spent a significant amount of time playing games as a way to escape from reality.

Seeing that he was struggling, a friend recommended he visit a meditation master in India to realign himself. He firmly chose to travel to India, where he engaged in meditation, sometimes sitting for as long as 10 hours a day in the mountains. 

This profound experience helped him understand that the true essence of life is found not in external successes but in internal exploration and growth.

"The dice roll favored staying in Chongqing." 

In 2017, after returning to Chongqing, Kan Erye established his own community. "At that time, my intention in bringing everyone together was very simple: just to improve my own state of mind," he said.

Initially, Kan Erye reached out to several students near Chongqing University, sharing his concept of engaging in group activities like reading, exercising, and meditating together.

By initiating these activities, he drew an increasing number of participants. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that these community events generated a higher income than the gaming company he had considered joining.

"Actually, when faced with the decision to either continue organizing community activities or join a gaming company, I found myself in deep contemplation," said Kan Erye.

But remembering the teachings of the Indian master, life isn't like a math problem with a definite answer. Instead, it's about adapting to changes and finding the best solutions.

Therefore, he let a dice roll make the decision for him. "The dice roll favored staying in Chongqing," Kan Erye remembered. He fully dedicated himself to developing community activities, adopting a more open-minded approach, and deciding to remain and begin afresh.

A multi-disciplinary talent platform beyond community roots

Kan Erye stated that "exercise, reading, and meditation" form the foundational philosophy of Monster Tribe because they holistically improve a person's physical and mental quality. Drawing from his own experiences, he is convinced that this trio of activities contributes to making individuals more well-rounded.

Monster Tribe was officially established in May 2020. He stated that the first three years after founding Monster Tribe were the most valuable period of his life.

"During that time, alongside organizing weekend activities, I dedicated a significant amount of time to reading, going through about six to seven hundred books," he said. "Particularly in psychology and neuroscience, areas that have always intrigued me, aiding in understanding human behavior patterns, techniques for managing emotions, and methods for fostering self-growth."

From 2023 to 2024, the growing Monster Tribe underwent significant changes, transitioning from a single community to a community platform that welcomed other groups to join. Now, Monster Tribe functions not just as a community but also as a platform that unites talents from various fields.

"Exercise, reading, and meditation are the pillars of physical and mental well-being at Monster Tribe," concluded Kan Erye with heartfelt conviction. "Through gamification, we inspire members to explore, discover, and evolve, striving to unlock their fullest potential."