“Hey, look over there— is someone about to jump off the cliff?” At 9 a.m. on May 6, on a cliff at Fushan Mountain, more than ten university students from Ocean University of China and Qingdao University were demonstrating their “rappelling” skills to hikers, leaping several big steps down a 30-meter rock face to the ground, drawing the attention of many onlookers.
6-year-old boy “jumps” off the cliff
At 10 a.m. on May 7, dozens of people had gathered at the base of a cliff on Fushan Mountain, while others were quickly “jumping” down from the rock face. Looking up from below, reporters saw them moving as lightly as swallows: a 30-meter cliff was descended in just three or four big leaps. One little boy scampered up to the top of the cliff, strapped on his own safety harness, and began descending, reaching the ground in just a few steps.
From below, Fushan Mountain doesn’t look very high, but climbing up over the broken rocks takes over an hour. “This cliff is only about 200 meters above sea level—it’s just a small hill. But the rock face is vertical and quite flat, around 30 meters high, making it ideal for practicing rappelling.” By 10 a.m., more than 30 people had gathered at the base of the cliff to watch, while the performers were a group of over ten university students from Ocean University of China and Qingdao University. Many onlookers also wanted to give it a try, so the students helped them put on safety harnesses and climbing gear before ascending the cliff.
Seeing her nephew being so “impressive,” the boy’s aunt, Ms. Li, who is 40 years old and not usually into exercise, couldn’t resist the “encouragement.” She carefully put on a helmet and followed him up. At first, she was very cautious as she started descending, and everyone applauded. But halfway down the cliff, there was a gap in the rock face, and when Ms. Li jumped, her landing spot happened to be there. She suddenly lost her balance, and in panic, tried to grab the cliff wall, accidentally loosening the rope. As she began to fall, she burst into tears. At the critical moment, Xiao Zhu from Qingdao University quickly grabbed the rope to secure her.
“It was her first time rappelling. She got too nervous and let go of the rope, which left her hanging in midair. But we had two people specifically assigned to protect her from the ground. We slowly lowered the rope, and everything turned out fine.”
Rappelling proves useful in rescuing stranded hikers
Xiao Zhu told reporters that his companions are all “outdoor enthusiasts” from various universities in Qingdao. They learned their skills from Coach Yang Jian, known as “the first person from Shandong to climb Mount Everest” and assistant coach of the national climbing team. They often practice rappelling on Fushan Mountain, and many locals recognize them, having taken potential emergencies into account. “Because we all love the outdoors, we come together, hoping to meet more friends and share our experiences in outdoor activities.”
Reporters learned that these third- and fourth-year university students have all participated in rescue operations. However, some elderly onlookers remained uneasy: “Where did you get this equipment? Is it safe?” Xiao Zhu explained, “These are the same specification equipment used in events organized by the China Mountaineering Association. This full set—including the harness, descender, locking devices, dynamic rope, and helmet—costs over 10,000 yuan, which we all pooled money to buy.”
Coach Yang Jian said, “Rappelling isn’t just a hobby—it’s also an essential survival skill. The students have previously carried out on-site rescues on Fushan Mountain. Using rappelling techniques, they’ve helped stranded tourists descend from mountain summits. Nowadays, more and more young people are passionate about outdoor life. Rappelling is relatively low-risk and very beneficial for developing both the mental and physical strength of young people.”