This video of a man defying gravity isn't a camera trick. It's ancient martial arts and physics.

A viral video from the Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu has left millions speechless, showing a man seemingly defying the laws of gravity. In the clip, he stands at the bottom of a 20-foot-deep circular pit with smooth, vertical walls. With no ladder or rope, he starts running in a circle, gaining speed until he’s sprinting horizontally along the wall, climbing higher with each rotation until he gracefully exits at the top.

The man behind the incredible feat is Zhang Yije, a Beijing-based parkour athlete and two-time Guinness World Record holder. The stunt, he explains, isn't a magic trick, but a combination of intense physical skill, modern physics, and ancient martial arts philosophy.

In his video, posted in February 2025, he introduces the challenge. “The Bagua pit will subdue every stubborn person,” he says. “It seems that you can't climb up this straight wall. So, we use rotational force like this.” As he begins his ascent, he calls out a reminder to himself: “Coming up, don’t stop.”

parkour, viral video, physics, martial arts, Baguazhang, human potential, extreme sports, science explained, inspirationalZhang Yije

The Physics of the Feat

What Zhang Yije demonstrates is similar to the "Wall of Death" stunt often performed on motorcycles. The science relies on two key principles:

• Centripetal Force: As he runs at high speed in a circle, an inward-pulling force presses his body firmly against the curved wall. This pressure is what prevents him from simply falling toward the center of the pit.
• Friction: The intense pressure against the wall generates a massive amount of friction between his shoes and the surface. As long as he maintains his speed, this friction is strong enough to counteract the downward pull of gravity, allowing him to run horizontally and gradually ascend.

Motorcyclist performs a stuntCanva

The Ancient Wisdom

But raw physics is only half the story. Zhang’s background is in Baguazhang, a traditional Chinese martial art rooted in Taoist philosophy. A core training method of Baguazhang is "circle walking," where practitioners walk in perfect circles to cultivate balance, fluid movement, and a state of mindful awareness.

This ancient practice is what gives him the fine-tuned control needed to maintain a perfect path, adjust his posture for optimal friction, and stay in a "flow state" during the intense, disorienting stunt.

The performance is a stunning reminder of human potential. It's a viral stunt, yes, but it's also a beautiful demonstration of how centuries-old wisdom and the laws of physics can intersect to create moments that look truly impossible.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.