Fortitude fuels climber's Qomolangma summit

At 4:30 am on May 22, the world stood still for Zhou Wei. The 45-year-old man from Qixian county, Jinzhong, Shanxi province, had just achieved what no one from his hometown had ever accomplished — standing atop the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, at 8,848.86 meters above sea level.

But when he reached Qomolangma's summit, also known as Mount Everest in the West, from the southern slope, there was no triumphant shout, no dramatic tears. "I felt an extraordinary calm," said Zhou in recollection of the moment. "I grabbed my Sherpa and immediately asked him to point out the direction of my homeland. The moment I saw the mountains of China in the distance, an overwhelming sense of security and pride surged through my heart."

Temperatures at the summit hovered at dozens of degrees below 0 C. His phone, tucked inside his mountaineering suit, had died from the cold. No pictures of the magnificent vista would be captured. Only the precious footage captured by his guide would preserve this moment. On the highest peak in the world, oxygen is so scarce that removing your mask for more than 12 minutes could be a death sentence, Zhou said. "Every second spent at the summit is a battle against the limits of human endurance."

Zhou's journey to Qomolangma was not a spontaneous decision but the culmination of years of relentless pursuit. In just one year, he had scaled three high-altitude snow mountains. The other two are Yuzhu Peak (6,178 meters) in the Kunlun Mountains, and Muztagh Ata (7,546 meters) in the Western Kunlun range. Each ascent was a stepping stone, pushing his body and spirit closer to his ultimate challenge.

His Qomolangma expedition began in April, when he traveled to Nepal to begin preparations. After arriving at base camp, he completed numerous preliminary tasks and high-altitude acclimatization hikes. Everything was progressing according to plan — until disaster struck.

At base camp, Zhou was struck by a severe case of influenza. His fever spiked to nearly 40 C. Combined with severe altitude sickness and a viral infection, his body began to deteriorate rapidly. In just a few days, he lost a significant amount of weight, and his physical functions were pushed to the brink of collapse.

He faced an impossible choice: abandon the summit attempt and wait another year, or push forward while sick, facing the very real possibility of death.

"Everyone advised me to descend and recover," Zhou said. "But Everest only offers one optimal summit window each year. If I missed it, I would have to wait another twelve months."

So he decided to stay the course.

Throughout the acclimatization period, Zhou repeatedly traversed dangerous sections of glaciers and ice walls, insisting on multiple high-altitude trials. In the harshest environment on Earth, relying on sheer discipline and willpower, he gradually adapted to the lack of oxygen, the bitter cold, and the relentless wind, gathering precious strength for the final push.

On the evening of May 21, Zhou and his team departed from Camp 4 at 7,900 meters. To avoid congestion at the summit and ensure their safety, the team staggered its summit attempts and prepared enough oxygen supplies.

But even with thorough preparation, the dangers of high altitude exceeded all expectations.

"Just changing my oxygen cylinder took a few minutes," Zhou said. "During that time, I experienced severe dizziness and suffocation. I almost fainted. In that moment, I truly understood that the life-and-death trials at 8,000 meters are not exaggerated metaphors — they are the real, brutal limits of human existence."

Zhou's achievement made him the first person from Jinzhong city to successfully summit Mount Qomolangma. But his story extends far beyond this single triumph. For more than 20 years, Zhou has been deeply involved in outdoor sports, regularly participating in marathons, 100-kilometer trail runs, and other high-intensity endurance events.

Now based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Zhou has never forgotten his roots in Shanxi. A passionate philanthropist, Zhou has donated to poverty alleviation, educational support, pandemic prevention, and earthquake relief efforts. In 2018, he founded the Qixian Running Group, organizing races and building a platform for sports enthusiasts, using running as a bridge to promote fitness and healthy lifestyles in his hometown.

After returning from the summit, Zhou has been giving public lectures at schools and government institutions, sharing the harrowing reality of his Qomolangma climb and promoting a positive, forward-looking attitude toward life.