Villagers living up a remote 800-meter (2,624-foot) clifftop in southwest China that became famous for the precarious ladders connecting it to the world have been moved to a new urban housing estate.

Atule'er, a 200-year-old village in Sichuan province, made headlines around the world when photographs emerged in 2016 of schoolchildren descending the cliff on unsteady rattan ladders -- or "sky ladders," as locals called them.

The two-hour climb was the villagers' only way to access the outside world, and they had to carry farm produce down the cliff to sell at the nearest market miles away.

In recent years, local authorities replaced their hand-made ladders with a steel one that featured handrails, drastically shortening their travel time.

This week, however, 84 households of Atule'er left the ladders behind for good, resettling in apartment blocks closer to the town center of Zhaojue county, 75 kilometers (46 miles) away, China's state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

Their new apartments range from 25 square meters (269 square feet) to 100 square meters (1,076 square feet), and have modern kitchens, toilets, running water, electricity and gas, according to state broadcaster CGTN.

"I'm very happy that today I got a very good house," villager Mose Laluo told CGTN.

"After moving to the county, life will be very convenient for my family. My children will go to school easily, and hospital services will be convenient too." Not all villagers have been relocated, however -- about 30 households are planning to stay.

Atule'er has become a tourist attraction in recent years. In 2019, 100,000 visitors generated nearly 1 million yuan ($140,878) for the village, according to Xinhua.

Further development will service that industry, with officials planning to build a cable car to carry tourists up and down the cliff, the state-run news site Paper.cn reported.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/15/asia/china-cliff-top-village-relocation-intl-hnk-scli/index.html

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/15/asia/china-cliff-top-village-relocation-intl-hnk-scli/index.html

Columbus

Instead of relocating them, why not build hospitals and schools for them up there, also find faster ways to go up and also come down
many people would love to visit and explore

Wu Send dem?

E pay dem nau.

And here i am o, to even climb stair case of a two_storey building I will be gasping for air.These ain't ordinary people.

How will they not be living up to 150 years old, see the amount of exercise they are doing up-and-down

I for like stay here oo

That place could be very peaceful considering its location. The view from that top would be magnificient. I would like to explore but chikos hate blacks.

FlordFlorez:
That place could be very peaceful considering its location. The view from that top would be magnificient. I would like to explore but chikos hate blacks.

It would be peaceful, but climbing a cliff for two hours and with heavy stuffs for those going to sell in the markets...

Macsjebs:

It would be peaceful, but climbing a cliff for two hours and with heavy stuffs for those going to sell in the markets...

but its doing more good than bad. Its liken to exercise.

FlordFlorez:
but its doing more good than bad. Its liken to exercise.

True sha,

But I feel for the kids sha

Macsjebs:

True sha,

But I feel for the kids sha

im sure it has become part of them just as we have to endure Nigerian politics and politicians.

Interesting

They get mind to climb that shiit.

World leaders are busy spending money on weapons people are suffering and dying everyday imagine those kids am seeing..

They are probably healthier than most of those who live in cities.

All our politicians in Nigeria, supposed to do NYSC at this location for 9 months

Only one question bugging my mind...

What could possibly have informed their ancestors' decision to relocate to such an aery location?

I don't know but I am tempted to think or believe that it must have been something to do with their security or safety.

I mean, it happened just 200 years ago, right? That means it's a very recent human settlement by many standards.

I suspect that it must have had something to do with China's very turbulent past.

And this isn't just about China. Many cliff or mountain settlements started off as mere havens for persons seeking refuge in times of conflicts.

I mean there are some examples in Nigeria too. A good example: Olumo rock.

Tough kids by the way.

How do they breathe up there? Oxygen is thinnner at high altitudes
Their respiratory system go strong ooh