2026-03-16 08:21

They say there are no real “sports lovers” among those who hike

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From WeChat official account: Hiking China , by A Yao

They say there are no real “sports lovers” among those who climb mountains.

Visibly, more and more people around us are heading to the mountains on weekends. Not the fully-geared outdoor enthusiasts, nor the photo-obsessed check-in crowd—just ordinary office workers, fresh graduates... They wear sneakers, carry a backpack, and walk on hills around the city, like Xiangshan in Beijing or Wutong Mountain in Shenzhen.

Ask them why they go, and the answer is often simple, almost tongue-tied: “Just want to take a walk.” “Need to get some air.” They can’t say much more, but listeners usually understand.

Because many have felt that way—not because something went wrong, not because life hit a major snag, but one day you suddenly feel something’s off, your mind won’t stop, the sky outside is gray, unfinished tasks lie at hand, yet you don’t know where this state began or what you really want.

At moments like this, many choose to go hiking.

What exactly have we accumulated in the city?

Try to recall: when was the last time you truly felt relaxed?

Not the numbness after binging a show, not the emptiness after putting down the phone post-gaming—but that real ease, seeping out from your body, needing no external stimulus—just lightness.

Maybe many think hard, but can’t remember.

We live in a high-speed era. Woken by alarm, we reach for our phones before opening our eyes—checking messages, tasks, anything missed overnight. On the way to work, pushed along in the crowd, body moving but mind already processing today’s meetings, deadlines, and whatever headaches lie ahead.

Work eight hours, or ten, or more—then go home, still on the phone.

A 2024 survey by the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, showed that working adults spend nearly two and a half hours daily on short videos. Researchers noted that high-intensity use is significantly correlated with risk of depression and anxiety.

We know these harms, but we can’t stop. Scrolling, time disappears; mood isn’t better, just temporarily filled. When we put the phone down, the chest still feels tight, the mind still churns—nothing really passes.

Then we scroll again until we sleep, day after day.

But what’s more unsettling than busyness itself is the emptiness after being busy—the feeling that nothing is missing yet something feels off, the sudden confusion sitting at your desk, watching the dim sky outside, only the sound of keyboards and air conditioning around.

No one has asked us in a long time: “Are you okay right now?”

In an era where everyone strives to get ahead, we seem to have gradually squeezed out “feeling ourselves.”

Why mountains, of all places?

Near the end of 2025, the internet was flooded with “love yourself, old self.” People looked forward to the new year, reconciling with themselves, caring for themselves, being with themselves.

Some go to bars, some shop, some binge-watch, some indulge in food—but those methods, after all, are about filling something in. Hiking is different; hiking is moving outward.

If pressed, many can’t really explain why they choose mountains, only saying “just want to go out for a walk.” It sounds like no answer, but it’s actually very real.

In life, we hardly find a place where we don’t need to perform: work efficiently, post精彩 moments on social media, even rest must be high-quality, with photos, looking vibrant and energetic… We’re so used to being evaluated that we evaluate ourselves constantly.

But the mountain doesn’t.

The mountain just sits there. You walk, it accompanies; you stop, it doesn’t urge; you sit by the trail for twenty minutes zoning out, it never thinks you’re wasting time. That feeling of being allowed to do nothing—many haven’t felt it for a long time.

Psychology has an interesting finding: if the brain is long in environments requiring “active attention”—like screen work, complex social interactions—the constant influx of information leads to chronic fatigue.

Natural environments, however, activate passive attention: wind through leaves, distant ridges, uneven stones underfoot… These sensory inputs unconsciously relax the overused brain.

Simply put: the mountain gives the brain a vacation.

But that’s not all.

While hiking, you pant, you sweat, your heart races—these real, direct sensations can’t be replaced by scrolling. Hiking pulls you back into your body, letting you feel gravity, breath, and that you are a living, weighty person.

Only when the body is present can the soul return.