Going Full Stre...tch in Test of Courage

By its nature, bungee jumping would seem to be one of the most dangerous X-sports of all, for enthusiasts test not only their own nerve in leaping into space but the quality of what is, in effect, little more than a thick elastic band. If for any reason it broke free of its mooring, or if the bungee's operator got his measurements wrong, the jumper could end up hitting land or water at the speed of a falling rock.

In fact, the sport is statistically one of the safest. From the very beginning, and however bizarre the location operators choose for their launch platforms, they have made safety their top priority. Only rarely is a mishap recorded, usually a torn muscle or a rubber friction burn to a limb.

Beijing offers numerous bungee sites, three of the most popular being at the Ten Ferries in Fangshan, Huairou's Qinglong Gorge, and one near the Olympic Center. Temporary bungee-type platforms are most often seen above bridges, or erected outside large plazas such as in Beijing's Wangfujing shopping area recently.

Bungee cords can be attached at the foot or ankle, the waist or by shoulder harness. The latter involves jumping from a platform or slowly leaning over the drop, facing forward of backward, until gravity simply pulls the daredevil into a straight fall. Serious jumpers seem to favor arms stretched by their sides, or with their arms crossed over the chest with their hands on their shoulders. Personal variations and signature styles are common among seasoned leapers.

When the cord is tied at the waist, a straightforward jump from the platform is the most common way of taking off. Because the cord is tied at the waist, the participant can expect to flip four or five times during the drop.

Straight falling, arms spread wide, is often seen when the cord is tied at one ankle or when it ties both ankles together. This is probably the most popular method today. Some who have experienced it equate the sensation to feeling like an Olympic diver in mid-air, though the duration is longer than a swimmer's dive. Due to the initially slow lean and fall from the platform, which leaves much time to think about the unfortunate possibility of a miscue or disaster, this method is acknowledged as the most frightening.

Multiple jumpers are becoming more common. The earliest form of this was two jumpers tied together by a shoulder harness. Had they been tied at their ankles, there was the chance of their heads colliding as the cord bounced them back up.

Some bungee locations have harnesses for one jumper, but those who favor this equipment believe it is best if a leap is shared, especially with a "significant other- . They warn that it takes mutual trust before it is attempted.

Advancing technology has given rise to another manner of jumping, called bungee swings or capsules, for which two or three metal towers are constructed. Between them is a three-seat capsule stretched on a bungee-like cord. The capsule is then pulled downward by a machine before being catapulted into the air, leaving the occupants feeling that their stomachs are still on the pavement.

Beijing Bungees
Built on a mountain top overlooking deep valleys in Fang Shan's Ten Ferries scenic area, this 48 meter-high structure was the first bungee platform built in China. It costs about 150 yuan to jump from it.

The nation's highest bungee platform, at 68 meters, is at Huairou's Qinglong Gorge scenic area. Jumping price is also around 150 yuan. Close to the Olympic Center's Yingdong Swimming Pool is a bungee tower built in 1998. It is 48 meters high, and the price for leaping from it is about 140 yuan.

Historical note: A few months ago, downtown's Wangfujing Street saw crowds gathered to witness thrill-seekers hurled aloft in a three-seater capsule stretched between two metal towers. This writer was among the masochists, an exhilarating experience I likened to being hurled from a jet aircraft in an ejector seat. It was a fun way of getting my name in Beijing This Month for the very first time.

Stretching Back in Time
What was the genesis of bungee jumping? Legend has it that there was once a woman on Pentecost Island in the Vanuatu jungle who ran away from her husband, Tamale. Trying to escape, the wife hid in a very tall tree, but Tamale saw her and climbed after her. The woman jumped, followed by her husband. Wisely, the lady had tied vines to her feet to break her fall. Tamale had not. She survived, Tamale did not. From then on, men of the village began making "land dives, as proof of strength and bravery, and as a reminder to women that they would never again be tricked.

These days, the village men and boys build towers from natural, indigenous materials, with jumping platforms included at different levels. Just after the rainy season, the ground below is softened and made spongy for a special fertility ceremony. Vines, still full of water and very elastic, are then secured to the various platforms and a jumper's ankles. As the man dives, the vines stretch and his fall is broken - just in time, as his head is brushing the ground.