Chinese man slices cucumbers with 'deadly' playing card throws like you've seen in movies

You’ve likely seen movies or viral clips where a mysterious figure armed with nothing but a deck of playing cards unleashes them with deadly precision to strike down their foes.

Turns out, that’s not just cinematic magic. 

Meet Zhang Yazhou, better known by his online alias “NengLiangJun”, who has mastered the art of slicing cucumbers and lighting matches with playing cards.

His unique skills led him to two Guinness World Records titles: most cucumbers cut by throwing playing cards in one minute and most matches lit by throwing playing cards in one minute.

Zhang grew up in a small village in Henan, China, where his childhood was filled with makeshift toys like slingshots, skipping stones, and feathered darts. Little did he know, these countryside games would lay the groundwork for his extraordinary card-throwing skills.

Life didn't come withouts its challenges though. During middle school, an accident cost Zhang the sight in his left eye - a devastating blow that left him directionless. Watching his mother exhaust herself to fund his treatments, Zhang resolved to be strong and never give up. This inner resolve became the foundation for his relentless drive and ambition.

Though he studied civil engineering in college, Zhang’s heart was captivated by two things: video creation and card throwing. In his spare time, he began uploading short clips of his growing skills to the internet. What started as simple documentation soon turned into a career.

With nearly 20 million fans across various platforms, he’s transformed this quirky talent into a spectacular tale of grit, tradition, and reinvention, taking him from a humble rural upbringing to life as a Guinness World Records title holder.

As his skills sharpened, so did his challenges. Preparing for these records meant months of gruelling practice, failed attempts, and tweaking every detail - from card angles to throwing techniques. But he powered through.

On the big day, his efforts paid off. Zhang set the first record by slicing 41 cucumbers in 60 seconds. Then, as if one wasn’t enough, he broke another record by lighting 29 matches with cards in the same timeframe, shattering the minimum of 16.

Fans hail him as a modern ambassador for traditional culture, blending martial arts with a fresh, relatable twist. Zhang himself sees his achievements as just the beginning. He’s already planning more ambitious challenges, including longer-range throws and exploring other traditional dart-throwing techniques.

For Zhang, it’s a mission to revive forgotten traditions, making them exciting and relevant for a new generation. Through his journey from a rural boy to a card-throwing superstar, NengLiangJun has thrown down the gauntlet - not just for himself, but for the rebirth of traditional culture.

And who knew a simple deck of cards could carry so much weight?