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Two siblings live a hermitlike life in the mountains near Zhangqiu in east China's Shandong province. [Photo: sohu.com]

Deep in the mountains near Zhangqiu in east China's Shandong province, two siblings have lived in seclusion for 20 years.

The siblings are Honghua and her elder brother, whose name has not been revealed. They moved to the mountains in the 1980s and have lived there ever since. Local villagers refer to the pair as "the savages" and say they once lived in the village before withdrawing from everyday life for an unknown reason.

Reporters from the Shandong Business Daily found the brother and sister hiding in their "house", a small, shabby tent halfway up the mountain. The siblings were wearing ragged clothes and looked rather scared upon being located.

Attempts to communicate with the pair revealed that they were incapable of speech, but the elder brother could understand the reporter's questions and could respond using simple gestures.

A villager told reporters that the pair have another brother, who has a job and regularly provides them with necessities.

But despite the help that the pair have received, Honghua's hands have become deformed due to her constantly clenching her fists. Doctors say her hands have now lost all function, which could have been the result of severe trauma.

Liu Baoxiang, a doctor at the local hospital, says she can be treated but the process could last up to 6 months.

Currently, both the hospital and the local community are trying to help reintroduce the reclusive siblings back into society.

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