Over 20 hikers from the Zhuoloshan Mountain Climbing Association of Chiayi City and the Chiayi County Mountain Climbing Association braved the scorching May sun to summit Yangtou Mountain. Among them were several who suffer from serious illnesses but persevered in conquering the sacred peaks, demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of life’s challenges. Disabled hiker Lin Xianqing and asthma sufferer Chen Shi have both recently completed their personal challenge of scaling 100 sacred peaks, expressing immense joy and simply stating they “just couldn’t bear to give up halfway—so they just kept climbing, foolishly!”
On May 27, over 20 hikers from the Zhuoloshan Mountain Climbing Association of Chiayi City and the Chiayi County Mountain Climbing Association summited Yangtou Mountain. Among them, 65-year-old Lin Xianqing holds a disability card; Chen Shi suffers from asthma and cardiopulmonary disease; Lu Zhenyuan has a cardiac stent; 61-year-old Li Bingdan has cardiovascular disease and once had to be airlifted off Qilai Mountain due to an attack during a climb; Huang Jianhui manages diabetes with insulin injections yet still completed two rounds of 100 sacred peaks and is now embarking on a third round of peak conquests; Tsai Xiangrong has completed 90 sacred peaks and, undeterred by hardship, always carries heavy camera gear to capture scenic beauty; 75-year-old physician He Yimin tackled the steep 1,000-meter elevation changes of Yangtou Mountain for the first time, experiencing the unique joys and challenges of reaching the summit.
Lin Xianqing said that when he was 8 or 9 years old, he underwent surgery for an illness affecting his right ankle and was hospitalized for two years. Despite his knee being unable to bend and having a roughly 20-centimeter leg length difference, he refused to spend his life relying on crutches. He abandoned the cane and learned to walk using his uneven strides, eventually emerging from the depths of despair. Inspired by Li Bingdan, whom he met along the way, he summited Yushan (Jade Mountain) on his very first hike in 2003. Over the next 15 years, he continued climbing not only to prove his capabilities and enjoy mountaintop vistas but also to pick up litter and contribute to environmental protection—achieving multiple goals at once. Completing the 100 Sacred Peaks has brought him indescribable happiness.
Chen Shi, a retired nurse from the Wanan Branch of Taichung Veterans General Hospital, began her journey of conquering the sacred peaks after summiting Yushan in 2003. She said that every climb left her gasping for air and requiring a long recovery afterward, but her “unwillingness to give up” kept pushing her onward. In April of this year, she completed her 100th peak, feeling a deep sense of fulfillment and that it was all worth it.
(China Times)