Professional mountaineers as well as tourists from China, Germany, Britain, France and North Korea went to Taishan Mountain to attend an international mountain climbing festival that kicked off in Tai An city, Shandong, on Tuesday.

Taishan Mountain was the first in China to be titled as both the world natural and cultural heritage. The annual event of the mountain climbing festival started in 1987 and has become a world-renowned festive activity over the past 18 years.

The festival, also a one for the Tai An investment and trade seminar, organized 25 items of activities, the richest in history, according to head of the market department of Tai An tourism bureau Liu Shui.

Mountain climbing was not the only thing in the festival. Pop singing stars from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan will attend a large art and singing performance at the Tai An stadium.

People interested in North Korea culture might get great fun by attending the North Korea week consisting of five segments. A large Taiqi show might entertain both Chinese and foreign sports fans and let them experience what’s behind Chinese Kong Fu.

And there is a cricket culture show held in Ningyan, which even Chinese people do not have many chances to attend to.

If one is tired of walking around idly and gets no fun from watching all those performances, there is one event which will surely test people's strength, courage and skill, the first Taishan mountain and open air challenge.

(Chinanews.cn September 9, 2005)