Cai Guoqiang and Arc’teryx Blast a Mountain in Tibet, Netizens Cry Out in Pain

On the evening of September 19, 2025, the outdoor brand Arc'teryx, together with explosion artist Cai Guoqiang, ignited a large-scale fireworks show at an altitude of 5,500 meters in the Himalayas in Tibet, sparking public criticism for creating pollution and damaging the environment. (Video screenshot)

[People News] Chinese demolition artist Cai Guoqiang collaborated with the outdoor brand Arc’teryx, which had been acquired by Chinese capital, seeking to stage large-scale fireworks shows in the mountainous areas of Japan and France. After being rejected by both governments, he successfully applied for the Himalayan region in Tibet. On September 19, massive fireworks were ignited in the Himalayas, but afterwards, a large amount of garbage was left behind, sparking criticism from all sides.

According to United Daily News, on the 23rd, a Chinese self-media blogger, “Qianjun’s Motorcycle Diary,” released a video. On the 22nd, while travelling near Relong Township in Gyantse County, Tibet, he discovered “the mountain blasted by Cai Guoqiang and Arc’teryx.” On the third day after the event, the road leading to the performance site had already been closed off by local staff, and heavy drones were flying back and forth carrying debris from the mountain down to the valley. Small animals were also startled by the drones and fled in all directions.

The blogger bluntly said that at first, when he was standing opposite the mountain, he saw a dense mass of creatures moving and thought they were yaks that had returned to graze after the fireworks ended. But upon closer look, he realised they weren’t yaks at all, but hundreds of Tibetan villagers climbing the steep cliffs with bags, picking up trash.

The blogger observed that there were no obvious signs of severe environmental pollution or mountain damage at the site, but the sheer mobilisation of so many people scouring the mountain for garbage already indicated how much waste the fireworks had created. Apart from the so-called “eco-friendly biodegradable colored powder,” a large amount of trash remained that could only be manually removed, while the rest was forcibly left behind in the name of performance art.

Taiwan’s Liberty Times revealed that Cai Guoqiang originally planned to carry out fireworks shows at Mount Fuji in Japan and Mont Sainte-Victoire in France, but both countries rejected them on environmental grounds. In the end, it was easily approved in China, allowing him to blast fireworks in the Himalayas.

The report pointed out that Chinese Weibo had long been discussing Cai Guoqiang’s idea of blasting mountains with fireworks. As early as March, Cai’s team tried to blow up Mount Fuji, but Japan’s Ministry of the Environment rejected the plan. Relevant authorities believed the event posed three major risks: fireworks explosions could stir up volcanic ash and loosen fissures in Mount Fuji’s rock layers; the fireworks dust could spread pollen farther, worsening respiratory issues for local residents; and the loud explosions could disturb bird breeding and force them to abandon nests.

Cai’s team later attempted to stage a “Fire Dragon” fireworks show at Mont Sainte-Victoire in France, but faced strong backlash from environmental groups. The area is a major breeding ground for endangered birds, and a large fireworks display could disrupt the ecological balance and destroy habitats. In the end, France’s Ministry of Culture rejected the project, citing ecological protection as a higher priority.

Chinese netizens fiercely criticised: “What France and Japan didn’t want, in China, as long as it passes through the township and county governments, it can blow up the snow mountains of the Roof of the World. “A stupid plan rejected by France and Japan gets easily approved here. Once highland vegetation is destroyed, it takes 100–200 years to recover.”

Others wrote: “Cai Guoqiang’s fireworks show was rejected by Japan and France for environmental reasons, but it passed at home. What, are we some lower-class place? This makes me furious. “A project refused by France and Japan is now carried out on the far more fragile ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.”

Overseas netizens also angrily condemned such activities for severely damaging nature and trampling on Tibetans: “It should be boycotted nationwide until it goes bankrupt. Officials who approved this should also be investigated. “This project was refused in Japan and France, yet it was allowed in Tibet. Using a Han way of thinking to blow up mountains in Tibet is basically stepping on Tibetans. “Oxygen on the plateau is precious.”Other criticisms: “Does the plateau need some so-called art to pay tribute to it? Respecting nature is a real tribute. All the rhetoric is just marketing, paying tribute to money. “Ecologists all know how fragile high-altitude ecosystems are. Trash that decomposes in days at low altitudes may take decades or even centuries in the mountains. That’s why the mountaineering community advocates Leave No Trace—take down everything you bring up. “There’s already a bad precedent there: when filming the movie Red River Valley, they blew up a glacier. Even after more than 30 years, that glacier landscape has not recovered well. “This really makes people angry! Even in Cai Guoqiang’s later statement, he was still stubborn, saying he would ‘take responsibility if investigations find impacts.’ He simply doesn’t take it seriously!” △