Meet China's 'Spider-Woman' who climbs 100-metre cliff bare-handed, with no safety equipment

A 43-year-old woman from China, Luo Dengpin, has gained widespread recognition for her exceptional cliff-climbing skills. Known as the "Chinese Spider-Woman," Luo can climb cliffs over 100 meters high without any safety equipment. She is the only woman practicing the ancient Miao tradition of bare-handed rock climbing, allowing her to scale vertical rock faces with ease. Luo’s impressive talent has captivated people worldwide, as she performs these daring feats without ropes or harnesses.

Luo comes from the Ziyun Miao and Buyei counties in southwestern China, where she has mastered climbing cliffs as high as 108 meters, roughly the height of a 30-story building. Her unique skills have attracted attention and admiration, with many amazed by her fearlessness and strength. According to reports, Luo is the sole female climber in a region known for its "spider people," who use traditional rock climbing techniques.

Her journey began at the age of 15, when her father started teaching her how to climb. At first, Luo was motivated by a desire to challenge the boys in her community who claimed that rock climbing was only for men. "They said this was only for boys, but I believe men and women are equal, so I learned," she shared in an interview with the BBC in 2017.

Originally, Luo’s climbing skills were developed out of necessity. She used to climb cliffs to gather medicinal herbs and collect swallows' droppings, which were used as fertilizer. "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 used to it. After doing it so many times, my hands became callused," she told Shandong TV.

Luo’s talent is rooted in the ancient Miao tradition of cliff burials. The Miao people, who live in mountainous areas, believe that burying their dead at high altitudes allows them to face their ancestral homeland in central China. This cultural practice has helped preserve the climbing skills passed down through generations.

Today, Luo’s abilities have also become a tourist attraction. Visitors pay to watch her climb and demonstrate how she once gathered herbs from the cliffs. Though her income isn't very high, Luo takes pride in her identity as the "spider woman" and is content to keep her cultural heritage alive.

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