Everyday Online? The 6th China Pingxiang Wugongshan International Camping Festival 2013 Concludes with a Brilliant "Feast in the Clouds"...

The picturesque Wugongshan Camping Festival

Hiking on the green meadow

    The unprecedented grandeur of the 10,000-person International Camping Festival
    Starting from September 12, hikers from all over the country successively arrived at the Pingxiang Wugongshan Scenic Area registration desk. The staff provided 24-hour reception and tireless service around the clock, which deeply moved everyone. That very evening, early arrivals stayed at the foot of Wugongshan, getting a head start on experiencing the joy of stargazing camping.
    According to staff at the registration desk, this year’s camping festival not only attracted 6,500 outdoor enthusiasts from over 30 provinces and cities and more than 380 outdoor clubs across the country who signed up online, but also included overseas hikers from European and American countries such as Italy and Brazil—truly embodying the spirit that hikers around the world are one big family. On the day of the event, many spontaneous visitors and tourists also joined in, bringing the total number of participants to over 15,000, a truly unprecedented spectacle.

Leaders delivering speeches at the opening ceremony

    A novel and exciting outdoor sports carnival
    On the morning of September 13, the first climbing preliminaries kicked off brilliantly at the Wugongshan Cultural Park Plaza. The following day, the top 12 male and 8 female contestants from the preliminaries advanced to the intense finals. After a comprehensive competition of skill, speed, and difficulty, the top five male and top three female winners were ultimately decided. This was followed by a popular experience session that was greatly enjoyed by the crowd. Many onlookers, seeing the contestants leaping and swinging on the rock walls, were filled with envy and eager to give it a try themselves, making the atmosphere especially lively.

Climbing performance by a Brazilian athlete

    Early on the morning of September 14, the Wugongshan Cultural Park Plaza was bustling with activity as hikers from all over the country began heading up the mountain. Meanwhile, the team load-bearing hiking race participants were actively warming up, packing, and weighing in, all geared up for the competition. With the sound of the starting gun, over 120 hikers from more than 30 teams representing clubs in Fujian, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong set off on their journey, each carrying loads of no less than 10 kilograms.
    Along the way, we saw many team members drenched in sweat but moving swiftly, their enthusiasm undimmed by the weight they carried. When passing through the section known humorously among hikers as “Despair Slope”—a nearly vertical stone stairway—they tackled it with ease. Throughout the route, many non-competing hikers actively helped clear the path and make way for the racers, exemplifying the strong camaraderie and mutual support among the hiking community. Signs placed by the organizers and several specially provided medical and logistical support stations were visible along the trail, demonstrating thorough preparation.

Hikers carrying loads ascending Despair Slope

    The unique outdoor fun sports challenge held on the day of the camping festival ignited tremendous enthusiasm and attention. Amidst the bustling 1,700-meter expanse of grassland, the host’s booming voice was drowned out by the cheers and encouragement of the hikers. A giant inflatable caterpillar was slowly and laboriously moved forward by the coordinated efforts of eight team members—some pushing forward with might, others crawling on hands and feet. Though their postures were comical, they were full of laugh-out-loud moments, and the audience was thoroughly entertained in a delightful atmosphere.

Scene from the outdoor fun sports challenge

  The ethereal sounds atop the sea of clouds meadow
    Most notably, the award ceremony and gala held as scheduled that evening at the Guanyindang Campsite marked the finale of an extraordinary outdoor entertainment extravaganza set nearly 1,700 meters above sea level on the cloud-grassland. Once everyone had gathered, the humorous opening by a host from Jiangxi Radio officially kicked off the gala. Whether it was high-energy singing and dancing or unique special acts, the audience erupted in continuous applause, with the excitement reaching wave after wave, blending the stage and the spectators into one.
    According to staff on-site, many of the evening’s performances were contributed by the hikers themselves. Prior to the event, the “I Want to Be on Stage” section on the official website attracted enthusiastic sign-ups from nearly a hundred clubs across the country. The organizing committee carefully selected 21 distinctive acts, bringing together a diverse array of performances ranging from songs and dances to instrumental music and martial arts—spectacular and thrilling!

The award ceremony and closing gala scene at 1,700 meters above sea level

    Of course, the outstanding, near-professional caliber performances by the hikers were the result not only of natural talent but also of hard rehearsals. Among the highly praised group dances, “Spring Thunder” and “Ode to the Motherland,” performed by the Happy Journey Club from Hengyang, Hunan—an all-women group with an average age of over 45—their meticulously prepared costumes and props, along with repeated rehearsals and exceptional performances, earned unanimous praise from the audience.
    This magnificent and mesmerizing “feast in the clouds” brought the camping festival to its climax, igniting the passion of the thousands present. Cheers and leaps mingled with the glow of mobile phones and flashlights. The synchronized waving, the uplifting energy, turned Wugongshan into a true ocean of joy. As the event concluded, many hikers were reluctant to leave, humming tunes from the stage performances or mimicking the dances they’d just seen, their hearts still full of emotion for Wugongshan. It’s certain that everyone left with unforgettable, cherished memories.

Performance members from the Happy Journey Club in Hengyang, Hunan

    A truly well-deserved green feast
    If this could be called a colorful camping festival, it is even more aptly described as a green ecological banquet. Every visitor here is left with memories of its freshness, purity, greenery, and beauty—all of which are inseparable from the years of care and protection hikers have shown for the scenic environment, as well as the branding culture cultivated by Wugongshan itself.
     It is understood that the Wugongshan International Camping Festival, as an annual large-scale thematic event series of the Wugongshan Scenic Area, has now successfully been held for six editions and has garnered increasing attention and favor from outdoor sports enthusiasts and all sectors of society. To achieve a sustainable balance between the development of the area’s natural resources and the surge in tourist numbers, and to foster a harmonious green ecological environment where humans and nature coexist, relevant departments have made unremitting efforts over the years. They have comprehensively launched the battle to create a 5A-level scenic spot and opened up new patterns for tourism development. Infrastructure construction such as roads, cableways, and tour routes has led to more rational planning, while the advancement of the “Five Service Areas” has made supporting services more complete. Additionally, this camping festival promoted the environmental slogan “Civilized Outdoor, Enjoy Nature,” and truly implemented substantial measures such as clean-up activities, waste sorting, and the installation of eco-friendly signage.

Public environmental advocacy

     We can look forward to the future Wugongshan International Camping Festival becoming a flagship tourism event of Jiangxi Province, receiving even greater support and recognition from all sectors of society. The outdoor brand culture of Wugongshan will also take deeper root in the hearts of outdoor enthusiasts and visitors. Nestled in the corner of Pingxiang, the Wugongshan Scenic Area will embrace guests from all over the world with its uniquely vast and welcoming spirit.