A quick look at the YouTube channel of hiking enthusiast Chiu Ming-lung (邱銘隆) reveals him to be a videographer with a quaint setup. Chiu’s videos, filmed using a drone, a smartphone and an action camera, feature dramatic music and striking mountain scenery.
Chiu’s subscribers often only get an occasional glimpse of the videographer as part of his intermittent narration as he provides insightful reflections on the terrain he traverses.
Fans are also often subjected to the unfiltered use of swear words when he speaks, as he said he wants to show his most authentic emotions when climbing mountains.
Photo courtesy of Chiu Ming-lung
The channel has about 293,000 subscribers, an achievement that generally brings income from sponsors and endorsements.
However, while it is normal for YouTubers to generate income, a description on Chiu’s channel states that he “does not want to be a an influencer or sponsored content creator,” which is why he “rejects all collaborations and endorsements.”
While most content creators ask their viewers to become patrons, Chiu makes it clear that such action is not necessary, as the whole point of his channel is to highlight the towering peaks of Taiwan.
Chiu believes that financially benefiting from his videos would be disrespectful to his subject matter.
Filming videos is not always fun for Chiu. Other than the physical demands of scaling the mountains, which involves special clothing, a sleeping bag and rations, Chiu also has to carry heavy video equipment.
Chiu was inspired to film Taiwan’s peaks during a hike in 2014, when he saw his companions struggling with the steep terrain, a sight that he found funny.
“They were having difficulty and I thought it was funny, so I started filming,” he said.
Chiu later discovered the power of videography in broadcasting the beauty of Taiwan’s mountainous terrain, prompting him to explore editing and find suitable music to bring the majestic scenery to life for his wife and friends.
Chiu’s initial foray into mountain climbing came in 2006. The now 51-year-old said the head of the company he worked for at the time had designed a team-building event that involved the managerial staff climbing Taiwan’s highest peak, Yushan (玉山).
Initially, Chiu said he was uninterested in the activity and put minimal effort into the climb, until he reached the summit and watched the sunrise light up the scenery before his eyes.
After witnessing the break of dawn, he was overwhelmed by the “sea of clouds” below his feet and the warm embrace of the sun, Chiu added.
The emotions he felt at that moment helped him realize the beauty of Taiwan’s mountains, and ever since he has wanted to bask in that experience, he said.
Chiu said he climbed 82 peaks in 17 years.
Another reason for his decision to climb Taiwan’s mountains came from self-understanding, he said.
Despite being invited to climb Mount Fuji and Everest over the years, he has declined the calls, because he is not yet sufficiently familiar with the landscapes of his own country, he said.
Chiu said Taiwan’s mountains are unique because of how tightly grouped they are and how one scene can look drastically different from different angles.
His favorite routes are in the Central Mountain Range, Chiu said, adding that he fondly recalls the joy of seeing the lakes, plains and fauna there for the first time.
“No matter how beautiful the mountains are in other countries, they do not belong to me,” Chiu said, adding that for him, filming the peaks of Taiwan is akin to taking portraits of family members, where recognition and passion flow naturally from the heart.
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