Elder Kang Wenli has been climbing Huashan for 24 years (photo reproduction by reporter Chen Xinru).
Travel Enthusiast
Kang Wenli
Age: 84
Hobby: Mountain climbing
Highlights: Started climbing Jinan’s Huashan in 1989, averaging 400 climbs per year, with a goal of reaching 10,000 climbs
Kang Wenli, 84, moved back to the foot of Jinan’s Huashan after retiring in 1989 and began a steadfast routine of mountain climbing, rain or shine. In the area around Jinan’s Huashan, there used to be a saying: “There are three elders who climb Huashan.” Previously, three elderly men with white hair would appear in the mountains like clockwork every day, but now only Elder Kang remains. Those who know him call him the “elderly mountain-climbing longevity star of Huashan.” This year marks his 24th year of climbing, averaging 400 climbs per year, and he knows every plant and tree on the mountain intimately. He has set himself the goal of completing 10,000 climbs of Huashan.
Initially, the mountain was overgrown — he hacked out a path with a sickle
Elder Kang is a retired public security officer. From the founding of New China until his retirement in 1989, he and his wife moved back to their hometown in Yangzhuang Village, Licheng District, Jinan, and lived in a civilian house at the foot of Jinan’s Huashan. Elder Kang said he grew up here and has a special attachment to Huashan.
“After retiring, I had nothing much to do, so I started climbing Huashan. It’s just for fun.” With this simple statement, Elder Kang has kept it up to this day. Because of his climbing habit, the elder has maintained the habit of rising early. Around 4 a.m. each day, he sets off from home and can complete a round trip in an hour and a half. “When I was younger, I would run the whole way and reach the summit in just over ten minutes.”
Elder Kang told reporters that before Huashan Park was built in 1999, the mountain was overgrown with weeds. “There was no proper path. In the early mornings, I would take a sickle and hack out a path up the mountain. I felt my way through — the mountain is a complex place.”
Familiar with every sight of Huashan, he once carved words as souvenirs
Nowadays, Elder Kang knows every inch of Huashan, and climbing has become a daily must-do.
During one climb, he discovered a wild goji berry tree between steep cliffs, which he still remembers vividly. “From the mountaintop heading north, about 10 meters past ‘Ershan Jianzi,’ then 20 meters west, by the cliff, there’s a goji berry tree. The berries grow as big as dates. There are many lesser-known sights on the mountain.”
Elder Kang has explored every corner of Huashan, leaving behind inscriptions on stone walls. “Before Huashan Park was built, when climbing, I liked to imitate the ancients by leaving some inscriptions — using paint to write or sometimes a hammer to carve. Now that Huashan is a scenic area, it’s no longer allowed, but some of the carvings are still there.” He and others also gave interesting names to certain spots. “‘Elderly Path,’ ‘One Tree,’ ‘Heroic Pass’… Regular climbers all refer to them this way, using these landmarks to orient themselves.”
Attended the Mount Tai Climbing Festival 17 times, has climbed nearly all of the southern mountain area
Elder Kang said there are more than 870 steps to the top of Huashan, but what he remembers more clearly are the 1,632 steps of Mount Tai’s Eighteen Li Loop and the full 6,662 steps. Since the 11th Mount Tai International Mountaineering Festival, he has attended 17 times. “I’ve been all around the southern mountain area. I can just hop on my bike early in the morning for a loop — it’s not tiring at all, and it puts me in a great mood. I can spend the whole day in the mountains.” Even in his 80s, Elder Kang’s health remains excellent — he has sharp hearing and vision, and can still take care of his mobility-impaired wife.
Once, while visiting Mount Yuntai with friends, they told Elder Kang to explore the foot of the mountain and enjoy the scenery before heading back together, but he went ahead and climbed to the summit on his own, making his friends wait for over half an hour.
At the 16th Mount Tai International Mountaineering Festival, over 80-year-old Elder Kang joined a group of elderly cyclists and rode all the way to the foot of Mount Tai. “Some people were so exhausted they collapsed on the ground and couldn’t walk anymore, but I climbed from Zhongtianmen to Nantianmen in just 57 minutes — all thanks to my regular climbing.”
Persisting in climbing Huashan for 24 years, with a goal of 10,000 climbs
Elder Kang roughly keeps track of how many times he’s climbed. “Counting every single climb is too troublesome. I set myself a minimum of 400 climbs per year — at least one a day. If I miss a day, I mark it as an ‘absence.’ I originally planned to hit the 10,000 climb goal by July or August this year, but as I’ve gotten older and my health isn’t as good, I’ve had to put it on hold for now.” Elder Kang said, “By the end of this year, I aim to achieve the goal of 10,000 Huashan climbs.”
Family members recall that even during house renovations in 2007, Elder Kang didn’t skip his climbs. Of the former “three elders who climb Huashan,” only Elder Kang remains. “Old Wang is even older, over 90, and Old Peng isn’t in good health. We used to climb together regularly, but I haven’t seen him in ages.” On the day of the interview, it was rare to catch Elder Kang taking a break. “The ground was wet and I slipped — I’ll rest for a few days.”
After a cycling and climbing trip, Elder Kang once wrote a poem, which he can still recite to this day. The last line goes: “Life never grows old, the sunset skies blaze red.”