Published : 2024-05-25

On 25 May 1960, a Chinese mountaineering team summited Mount Everest, a first for the Chinese and the first successful human climb from the North Slope.

In the 1950s, British and Swiss mountaineering teams successfully climbed Mount Everest from the south slope within Nepal's territory. However, the north slope within China's territory had always been a no-man's land.

To summit from the north slope, it is required to climb over the "Second Step", which is said to be "impassable for birds", with an average gradient of about 40 degrees, and almost no easy support points for climbing.

In 1955, the Central People's Government decided to establish the first national mountaineering team, and its most important task was to climb Mount Everest.

On March 19, 1960, the Chinese Mount Everest expedition, consisting of 214 members with an average age of 24 years old, arrived at the base camp at an altitude of 5,120 meters.

At that time there was no advanced technical equipment, there was no pre-laid protective ropes and reference to the mature climbing route, even from Shigatse to the foot of Mount Everest more than 300 kilometres, are temporarily repaired before the climb.

The Chinese Mount Everest expedition first conducted three adaptive marches. Due to severe winds, frostbite, and altitude sickness, two members died and more than 20 suffered from frostbite during the process. In the third march, only 55 team members in good health condition were able to participate.

On the morning of May 24, the operation to attack the main peak began. Wang Fuzhou, Liu Lianman, Gongbu, Xu Jing set out from the assault camp at an altitude of 8,500 meters.

Shortly after, Xu Jing fell due to exhaustion from previous scouting missions. Qu Yinhua, who was in charge of transport, was assigned at the critical moment. Two hours later, Wang Fuzhou and the other 4 people reached the "Second Step".

Liu Lianman, a firefighter by profession, came up with the idea of using a "human ladder". It took them more than 3 hours to successively reach the top of the "Second Step". However, Liu Lianman, who was the last to be pulled up, could no longer proceed at an altitude of 8,700 meters.

The remaining three continued upwards. They finally succeeded in reaching the summit at 4:20 A.M. on May 25, nearly 19 hours after their departure, completing a great feat.