Porters see a steep drop on Taishan Mountain

Numbers have dwindled since the 1990s, and a new aerial cargo ropeway has cut prices. Ju Chuanjiang and Zhao Ruixue report from Tai'an, Shandong.

The 18 Bends is the name given to the final stretch of the winding 6,800-step pathway that leads to the top of Taishan Mountain in Shandong province. Rising by 400 meters over 1 kilometer, most people who make it are usually too exhausted to enjoy the stunning views at the top.

Yet while tourists who attempt the hike can regularly stop and take a rest along the way, the porters who daily carry heavy loads up the mountain on wooden poles over their shoulder never do, come hail or shine.