Bizarre visuals show people shaking after 7,200-step climb to the summit of Mount Taishan

Climbing mountains is no easy feat, and even a staircase straight to the summit can be grueling without proper preparation. As climbers ascend, the air thins, leaving them breathless, with hearts pounding and balance wavering—a struggle vividly captured in a viral video on X (formerly Twitter) posted by @roaneatan, a resident of Shibuya, Japan.

The video showcases snippets of climbers tackling the 7,200 steps of Mount Taishan, one of China’s most sacred mountains, highlighting just how intense the journey can be. With over 8 million views and extensive shares, the video has shed light on this challenging trek. Located in China’s Shandong province, Mount Taishan holds great religious significance in both Buddhism and Taoism and has earned the distinction of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The mountain’s fault-block structure comprises crystalline shales, granites, and limestones, with the trail winding past small temples, stone tablets, ancient inscriptions, archways, and pavilions, drawing countless tourists and devoted pilgrims alike.

For nearly 2,000 years, the mountain hosted rituals that involved emperors climbing to the top for a ceremony. Many Chinese artists and poets have written poems about the mountain and captured its glory. In “View of Taishan,” Du Fu described the mountain with the lines, “How shall I describe Taishan? Everywhere Shangdong is green and flourishing. In it the Creator has concentrated all that is bountiful and beautiful.”

In the video, however, the climb to the top of Taishan is not as poetic and serene. In fact, @roaneatan wrote in the caption of the post that “people often regret visiting it.” The first clip in the video shows a young woman moaning in pain because she is unable to get up from a bench mid-way through the climb. Some people just wobble and fall down. Others are being carried on stretchers by healthcare workers in orange uniforms. The legs of one person, stepping down the stairs, appear to be jiggly. Others are even seen moving on four limbs. One person is seen shaking badly whereas others are using sticks to support their quivering legs. The video demonstrates how grueling and rigorous the journey to Taishan’s summit really can be.

The video was reshared by the user u/cantstoppoppin in the r/damnthatsinteresting group on Reddit, where it was upvoted by over 91,000 people. Commenting on the video, u/whydyougottodothis said, “Sounds like a fun challenge but the day after must be horrid for most people.” u/sparklingkeys wrote, “Going down is much more brutal than going up. I had that leg shaking after descending a mile from a mountain too.” Others found the video hilarious while several said that only Rocky Balboa or Dragonborn can traverse this arduous journey.