A 43-year-old woman from China is gaining widespread praise for her extraordinary ability to scale cliffs over 100 metres high without any safety equipment. Luo Dengpin, known as the “Chinese Spider-Woman,” is the only female practitioner of the ancient Miao tradition of bare-handed rock climbing, a skill that allows her to traverse vertical rock faces effortlessly.
Master of a 108-metre cliff
Luo, who hails from Ziyun Miao and Buyei counties in southwestern China, can climb cliffs as high as 108 metres, equivalent to a 30-storey building. Her unique skill has attracted global attention, with many amazed at her ability to perform such daring feats without ropes or harnesses. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Luo remains the sole female climber in the region known for its “spider people.”
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She began rock climbing at the age of 15 under the guidance of her father. At the time, her primary motivation was to challenge the boys and prove her capability. “They said this was only for boys, but I believe men and women are equal, so I learned. That is how my journey as a spider woman began,” she shared with the BBC in 2017.
A living rooted in tradition
Initially, Luo’s rock-climbing skills were developed to gather medicinal herbs and swallows’ droppings from cliffs. The droppings were used as fertiliser, providing Luo with a means to earn a living. “Before this area was developed, I climbed every day to collect swallows’ droppings. Foreigners were often frightened by our bare-handed climbing, but I grew accustomed to it. After doing it so many times, my hands became callused,” Luo told Shandong TV.
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The roots of Luo’s talent lie in the ancient Miao tradition of cliff burials. The Miao people, who reside in mountainous areas, believe that burying the dead at high altitudes allows them to look towards their ancestral homeland in central China. Over generations, these climbing skills were passed down, leading to the development of a unique cultural tradition.
From tradition to tourism
Today, Luo’s abilities have become a tourist attraction. Visitors flock to witness her climbing prowess, paying her to demonstrate how she once gathered herbs from the cliffs. “My income isn’t high, but I take pride in being a spider woman,” Luo said, reflecting her contentment in keeping her heritage alive.
