On 17^th November 2024, Mandarin House of Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau was pleased to invite college fellow, Dr. Chio Keong CHIN (FLL) to host a patriotic film appreciation: The Climbers. Dr. Chin began by introducing the  film. This Chinese adventure drama film depicts the real-life expedition of two generations of Chinese mountaineers to ascend Mount Everest from the perilous north side in 1960 and 1975. After watching the film, participants found their own answers to “What is sacrifice, what is faith, what is patriotism? “

During the post-screening talk, Dr. Chin guided students to rethink the film from a patriotic perspective. He highlighted that The Climbers is not about heros’ challenge and conquest of nature, but about a group of ordinary people defending the dignity of their homeland in difficult times. The discussion focused on how to make decisions when personal interests conflict with national interests. Dr. Chin concluded that a person’s love for their country is reflected in their core values and choices.

“Seeing the complete climbing process of the Mount Everest displayed on the big screen conveys a sense of great mission and the inheritance of perseverance, far beyond the act of climbing itself. The real history is even more difficult and tragic than the film. Every person who overcame numerous challenges to climb Everest back then did so with a tremendous sense of honor. Only with great sacrifices can we achieve great ambitions.”

– Oscar Wang 

“This film showcases an individual’s Chinese Dream. The climbers in the film face harsh blizzards, fierce winds, unknown terrains, and unexpected situations, yet remains persistent, repeatedly falling and getting back up. Perhaps the youth of the new era may find it hard to fully understand the climber’s dedication, but this is precisely their longing for the prosperity of the motherland, their sense of mission to contribute to a strong nation, and their deepest, most passionate love for their country.” – Sharon Zuo

“The moment the climbing team finally succeeded in reaching the world’s highest peak and announced this achievement to the entire nation and the world, one couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. From the courage to challenge the limits with ‘because the mountain is there’ to the lofty ambition of ‘showing the world China’s height,’ I deeply understood the fearless courage of the Chinese people in that era.” – Roy Lam