While training in the Soviet Union, he reached the summit of Mount Elbrus and Muztagh Ata (making the first ascent in the world) in 1956.
[2] In May 1960, Liu and his teammates Wang Fuzhou, Qu Yinhua and Gongbu tried to ascend to the summit of Mount Everest via the north ridge.
[1] Although failing to reach the summit, he was soon thereafter described as the "human ladder of Mount Everest" and was awarded a National Sports Medal of Honor.
[3] His heroic story Climb to the Top of the Earth (登上地球之巅) was included in the Chinese textbook of junior high school.
[4] He retired from mountain climbing in 1973 and worked at Harbin Electrical Machine Factory.