Father and Son Summit Mount Everest, 18-year-old Son is Youngest Hong Konger to Do So

Hong Kong's father-and-son mountain climber Tsang Chi-shing (John) and his son Tsang Long-kit (Bob) successfully climbed the 8,849-meter-high Mount Everest. Courtesy of the Tsang family

Hong Kong mountain climbers Tsang Chi-shing (John) and his son Tsang Long-kit (Bob) successfully climbed the 8,849-meter-high (29,032.15 feet) Mount Everest, and were the first father-son pair from Hong Kong to successfully reach the world’s highest peak. This was the fourth time John climbed Everest, and Bob, at 18, set a record as the youngest Hong Konger to climb the famous mountain. They told The Epoch Times that it was a rare experience for them to climb Mount Everest together, and they hoped that the unremitting spirit required to climb the mountain could inspire those around them.

The father and son set off from Hong Kong on March 8 and went to Nepal for two-month adaptation training. They started from Everest Base Camp on May 8, arrived at Camp 4 on the 11th, and headed for the summit in the early morning of the 12th. They made the peak at 9:35 a.m. local time. They became the first Hong Kong father and son pair to climb the world’s highest peak. Also, Bob broke the previous record held by 19-year-old Chan Ka-hei (Benjamin) and became the youngest Hong Konger to reach the summit.

Before climbing the mountain, John said in an interview with The Epoch Times that as a leader, the pressure he faced was different from before, whether they set a new record or not, the experience would be important, “As a father, I also want to leave unforgettable memories in my lifetime, I think that not every family or parent can climb the world’s highest peak with their children. I hope to have a dream challenge before my son goes to college.”

When talking about the significance of this mountaineering experience, Bob hoped this challenging expedition can inspire people around him: “As an ordinary 18-year-old young man who grew up in a horizontal line, I can climb up so high and challenge to this level. This is not only an inspiration to myself, but also to the people around me.”

Bob Excels in Studies

Bob has climbed four of the highest peaks on seven continents. He has been climbing mountains with his father since he was five years old. At age six, he and his father climbed Mount Fuji in Japan for the first time and he became a devoted mountaineer. At the age of 13, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters or 19,340.55 feet), the highest mountain in Tanzania. At the age of 16, he successfully climbed Aconcagua in Argentina, reaching a height of 6,961 meters (22,837.93 feet), and setting a record as the youngest Hong Konger to climb the highest peak in South America.

For Bob, mountain climbing is just a hobby. He has never slacked off in his studies, and dreams of a career in the film industry in the future. Last year, he scored 44 in the international Baccalaureate (IB) exam, just one point away from a perfect score.

He said that when encountering difficulties in daily life and studies, he always thinks of the mentality of not giving up needed to climb mountains. “If I fail an exam, my first thought isn’t about giving up. If I give up, my previous efforts will be in vain. It is better to continue to improve myself through this experience.” He also encourages everyone to not give up when a job is initially difficult, but to have the courage to challenge oneself.

John: The Experience of Climbing Mountain Is Like ‘Cultivation’

John is an expert in mountaineering in Hong Kong and has extensive climbing experience. In 2007, he summited Cho Oyu in the Himalayas for the first time, and reached the summit of Mount Everest in 2009, 2013, 2018, and 2022. He is also the Hong Konger who has climbed the most peaks. In addition, he reached the summit of Manaslu in the Himalayas in 2010; completed the climb of the highest peaks on seven continents in 2012; and in 2019, climbed the 4th highest peak in the world, Mount Lhotes in Nepal.

As for his ability to conquer peaks one by one, John said that it isn’t because he’s so strong, but because God has given him the opportunity to climb mountains. What he enjoys more is the life experiences he has gained in the expeditions, and he shares his experiences to inspire people around him to think positively.

John wrote a book about his climbing titled “Learning to Be a Man by Mountaineering,” in which he shares some of his experiences. He describes mountain climbing as “cultivation.” “You don’t need to reach the top when climbing. It is a life journey to accumulate more experience and growth,” he said.