Qomolangma Peak

The world's summit reveals its loftiness on occasion.

It has been a long-cherished dream of mine to climb the Qomolangma Peak, but when

    I approached it for the first time in my life, it still took me by surprise.

    As we arrived at Rongpu Monastery. And drove up a gentle slope, the driver said in hushed tones."NOW we can see it."We lowered our heads and stretched forward to 1ook, and saw a dark green mountain moving towards US. There was not a great deal of snow-a few snow belts lying up the slopes.

The Qomolangma Peak seen from the base camp on the northern slope.

    "Majestic and beautiful,"someone shouted.I said,"Its beauty takes your breath away." Everyone laughed, saying that my altitude sickness must be very bad. The team leader said,"Qomolangma is sitting, protecting Mount Changzheng, Mount  Jianshe and Mount Zhangzi on its right hand, and Mount Guangming on its left. The sash of its skirt is flying toward US. Look. this is the middle Rongpu Glacier..."

Beautiful Flag Cloud and Soft Knife

    Its streaming flag clouds are Qomolangma's most famous sight. There were no clouds against the backdrop of the azure sky. The rosy glow of morning covered a third of the summit. Called "Sunshine over the Golden Mountain." it is often seen in photographs,  but in this tableau, a long thin ribbon of white silk appeared from the summit. It has long been called the "flag cloud" because it looks like a streaming flag.

Since the 18th and 19th centuries, explorers and mountaineers from other countries went to the Qomolangma Peak(aka Mount Everest) to explore its secrets.

    I remember once, when we were attempting an adaptive climb of a 7, 790-meter height, the wind gradually grew stronger and the route rope was blown up into the air in an arc. The snow was whipped up and cut into our faces like a knife. At 7, 540 meters, we could no longer stand steady; we looked round only to see the flap cloud appearing on the summit.

    Headquarters ordered US to turn back immediately. The overwhelming force of the gale completely put a stop to our advance.

    The tent was torn apart and the oxygen cylinders and equipment stored in it were all blown away. I don't know why. but that day l was completely free of fear; on the contrary l was excited; the team struggled on in the teeth of the snowstorm, the flag cloud hanging elegantly from the summit. What a magnificent scene! I 1ove striking contrasts like this.

Qomolangma in Mist

    Looking at flowers in a mist is an artistic conception. The Qomolangma Peak in the morning or evening mist is another artistic conception, but fumbling in the mist at zero distance from the summit was something else altogether.

    When I finally stood on the summit of the mountain. 1 was encircled by clouds and mist. Had it not been for the long colorful prayer streamers and the cheering climbers, 1 would not have dared believe I had reached the top.

    Standing there, I had no lofty sentiments about the smallness of the mountains below,  rather grievance and distress. My eye at the view-finder misted over my tears flowing. I could never express this state of mind. Even today I cannot answer the questions "Why climb mountains ?"and "Why climb Qomolangma?"

Only one thing was clear. When I took off my gloves, my hands could touch the clouds and mist on the top of the world. It was cold, moist and somewhat bleakly

beautiful.

Qomolangma's Beauty  Originates from My Heart

    There are countless snow-capped mountains in the world. There are also countless snow-capped mountains that have been given special divinity by the people who 1ove, worship and fear them. Indeed almost all those who 1ive near to the snow mountain that they guard believe that mountain to be the most beautiful'the most sacred.

    Qomolangma is beautiful to me, because it's part of my very bones. The reason it's the most beautiful is that it originates from my heart.