- By Supratik Das
- Tue, 18 Nov 2025 12:47 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A 25-year-old Chinese woman, known online as Zhao Tiezhu, has drawn widespread attention after revealing that she lost 14 kilograms in just 35 days while competing in a wilderness survival contest in eastern China.
According to the South China Morning Post, Zhao, who has nearly 38,000 followers on social media, said that she has not only won a bronze medal in a gruelling challenge but also brought unexpected personal benefits.
The challenge began on October 1 on an isolated island in Zhejiang province. Zhao endured until November 5, braving 40-degree temperatures, painful insect bites, and severe sunburn. Her hands were roughened from daily survival tasks, and her feet were covered with scars from the harsh terrain. Despite the tough conditions, Zhao said the effort paid off, as her weight dropped from 85kg to 71kg during the competition.
Rat Meat, Crabs And Sea Urchins: Her Survival Diet
Zhao credited her dramatic weight loss to a high-protein survival diet. With no access to regular meals, she relied on seafood she could gather, crabs, abalones,sea urchins, and also hunted small animals.
Over the 35 days, Zhao said she caught, skinned, roasted, and ate 50 rats, even preparing some as jerky to take home. “Rats are quite tasty,” she remarked, noting that the limited food options forced her to be resourceful. Zhao finished third in the competition, earning a 7,500 yuan (USD 1,000) prize. Participants who survived 30 days received 6,000 yuan, with an additional 300 yuan awarded for each extra day on the island.
She exited the challenge after a typhoon struck on November 4, saying she had already met her goals. “Now I just want a proper sleep in my own bed,” she said.
Survival Games Gain Popularity In China
According to competition manager Geng, two male contestants remain in the running for the top prize of 50,000 yuan. The rise of wilderness survival contests in China has sparked interest nationwide, with several events streamed live.
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One of the best-known contests is ongoing at Seven Star Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, where the last participant standing will win 200,000 yuan. Reflecting on her achievement, Zhao said the results were “beyond expectations.” She also hopes to take part in more survival competitions and aims to lose an additional 15kg in future events.
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Online reactions have ranged from admiration to amazement. One commenter wrote, “A wilderness survival contest is more effective than cosmetic surgery.”