BEIJING: A road hand-carved by villagers in Chongqing's Wuxi county has drawn global attention after a video of a Tesla navigating its cliffside route was reposted by Elon Musk, racking up more than 32 million views in a single day.
The footage, posted by a Chinese blogger with the handle BigHu-L5, shows the vehicle operating along the Lanying Cliff Road, a passage less than three meters wide, with drops of more than 1,000m. While many viewers marvelled at the driving technology, it was the road itself that captured the most attention.
The roughly 1,200-metre road cuts through sheer cliffs above the Lanyang Grand Canyon. Before it existed, residents of Zhoujiaba village lived in near-total isolation.
Reaching markets, schools, or medical care meant climbing more than 1,000m of cliff face — a journey of at least 13 hours each way. The hardship drove most families out; by the time road construction began, only 23 households with 83 residents remained.
Using steel drills and hammers, the villagers carved the road over four years and three months. In 2008, the local government paved and reconstructed the road.
The road has become a symbol of self-reliance and endurance — and, increasingly, an economic engine.
Wuxi county has integrated the road and the surrounding Lanying Grand Canyon with attractions including the Hongchiba scenic area, Ningchang Ancient Town, and the Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve as part of its rural vitalisation drive.
The county's steep, complex terrain has also made it a destination for automakers and testing organizations putting vehicles through real-world trials. - China Daily/ANN
