A cleaner hangs from a cliff to collect trash in cracks and on trees. Like "spider men", they hang from the cliffs, suspended by ropes, cleaning up Mount Huashan, in Shaanxi province. They stay on the mountain when they are working. Some stay in mountain caves or in temples, as there is not enough alternative accommodation on the mountain. Every year, the team of cleaners picks up about 180 tons of waste, which they carry down the mountain on their shoulders. The cleaners also occasionally help tourists, who are injured, or talk down those who are contemplating suicide. In 2011, the cleaners dissuaded 46 people from jumping off the cliffs. [Photo by Chen Tuanjie/ For China Daily]

A worker shoulders garbage down the mountain. Like "spider men", they hang from the cliffs, suspended by ropes, cleaning up Mount Huashan, in Shaanxi province. One of the country’s top attractions, famed for its steepness, it stands 2,200 meters above sea level and receives more than 1 million tourists a year. Since ancient times, there has been just one road up the mountain that snakes for 20 km around the five peaks. [Photo by Chen Tuanjie/ For China Daily]