In pictures: Steel ladder makes 800m climb easier

Nicknamed "cliff village", Atuler is located on an 800 metre-high plateau in Sichuan, China. It is home to the Yi people, an ethnic minority group that can also be found in Vietnam and Thailand.

Until now, 17 wooden ladders were the secluded village's only way to reach the outside world. But climbing on these ladders is perilous and at least seven people are known to have died while climbing, locals say.

About 20 children from Atuler village attend a boarding school down the cliff, meaning that they had to scale the dangerous wooden ladders before and after holidays.

A steel ladder was put in place in early November. Even though it is still a tortuous trek, villagers say the new ladder has made a real difference and the climb takes an hour less time than it used to.

The Yi people of Atuler have been scaling the cliff for generations and they have set up rigid rules. While climbing, men bear the responsibility of taking care of children. Children under the age of 16 are not allowed to climb the cliff alone.

The steel ladder was built after the village attracted a lot of media interest in May. While many applaud the construction of the sturdier ladder, some netizens also wonder why villagers are not willing to move elsewhere. But residents told the Chinese press that they don't want to leave their homes, especially to cities where it will be difficult for them to make a living.