The 36th International Mount Tai Climbing Festival kicks off on Sept 6 at Daimiao Square in Tai'an, Shandong province, with the competitors departing from the north gate of Dai Temple. [Photo by Si Gang/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 36th International Mount Tai Climbing Festival kicked off at Daimiao Square in Tai'an, Shandong province on Sept 6.

About 1,500 people aged 18 to 50 took part in the event.

The contestants set off from the north gate of Dai Temple, which is located at the foot of Mount Tai.

The finish line for men was located at Nantian Gate, and the male participants had to climb 8.1 kilometers to reach it.

The distance for the women's race was 5.4 kilometers and the finish line was at Zhongtian Gate.

First launched in 1987, the International Mount Tai Climbing Festival is a large tourist event integrating sports, culture, tourism, and trade, and has become an important festival to promote and showcase the city, said Zhang Tao, mayor of the city.

Chen Xinyu wins the men's championship with a time of 56 minutes and 2 seconds at the 36th International Mount Tai Climbing Festival on Sept 6. [Photo by Chen Yang/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhao Yanli crosses the women's finish line at Zhongtian Gate with a first place time of 39 min and 13 sec at the 36th International Mount Tai Climbing Festival on Sept 6. [Photo by Sui Xiang/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]