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Zhang Yongqiang has every reason not to be a coal miner. But Zhang, 39, the owner of two grocery stores and several apartments in Chongqing municipality, has a simple yet adequate reason for working underground: to abstain from gambling.

"I only want a pure life, and that's what being a miner could offer," he said, explaining that he used to be addicted to gambling.

Zhang started his business trading fruits and vegetables in the 1990s in Chongqing.

Through frequent business trips to other provinces, Zhang made a lot of friends, both for business and gambling.

"Gambling was necessary to make friends and maintain business contacts," Zhang said. "I neither smoke nor drink. I needed at least one thing to melt into the circle."

However, he soon found that his addiction was getting beyond control.

"As soon as we arrived at business destinations, we locked ourselves into our hotel rooms and started to gamble," Zhang said.

Zhang used to gamble for three days and nights without sleep. But he was not a good gambler, and in 2002 he lost 70,000 yuan ($11,000) in one night.

"The more you lose, the more you want it back. The desire is unstoppable," Zhang said.

Zhang said due to his gambling he was unable to hold on to the fortune he made in business.

His family started to get annoyed.

However, it was the financial crisis in 2008 that forced Zhang to give up his business and spurred him to quit gambling.

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