The Spider Climbers Of China

Deep in the mountainous province of Guizhou, an ancient death-defying practice is alive and well. A handful of locals free climb enormous cave walls to gather rare medicinal herbs for their village. These daring climbers are known as "Spider-Men" and rely only on courage and skill to make it safely up and down walls that tower up to 100m tall.

The ancestors of the "Spider-Men" used to carry the coffins of departed villagers up the mountains to lay to rest. Now, this almost extinct practice is only performed by a handful of men and one woman. Luo Denping is the only woman and the youngest in her village to scale the cliffs. Old customs state that only men are to embark on the climb, but there was no stopping Denping's courage and determination to join her father on his climbs.

The daring spirit of the "Spider-Men" is now captivating people worldwide. Their traditions will certainly not be forgotten and they hope a new wave of young people will master the art.