Chinese man challenges backward tightrope walk

Askar, a student of legendary Chinese tightrope walker, Adili Wuxor, has begun his challenging journey, a 700-meter high blindfold backward walk, in Central China’s Shiniuzhai geo-park in Hunan province.

Askar is now on the tightrope which runs across Yunyan lake in the geo-park. It ends at a 200-metre high cliff top, with a thirty degree slope at the steepest point.

During the performance, there are no protective measures in place. Instead he has to use a balancing pole to keep his balance.


If he succeeds, the performer will become the first person to accomplish such a task. The performer’s master, Adili Wuxor, set a new world record on July 1, 2010, after he spent 60 days walking on a tightrope in the Bird’s Nest Stadium.

Tightrope walking, also known as "dawaz" in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is a traditional Uygur sport that dates back almost 2,000 years.

Askar, a tightrope walker from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Askar is a famous Uygur stuntman who has beaten five world Guinness World records on the tightrope. In May 2007, in Jiyuan, Henan Province, he created two Guinness World records by staying on a rope, 200 meters above the ground, for 40 days and completing a 100m race in 57.24 seconds on it.