Wang Qinghua at Yangshuo's Leipi Mountain on the 5.14d "Red Dot Rice"
At 19:45 on July 5, 2012, KAILAS climber Wang Qinghua successfully completed a 9a-rated route at Leipi Mountain and named it "Red Dot Rice." This is the hardest climbing route ever completed by a Chinese climber to date, and this day is destined to go down in history as a milestone in Chinese climbing.
To complete this route, Wang Qinghua made three trips to Yangshuo over a six-month period starting from this year’s Spring Festival. He went through countless attempts and technical adjustments, and on his third trip to Yangshuo, his perseverance finally paid off as he red-pointed the route. He is also the only Chinese climber to have completed a 5.14d / 9a-rated route to date.
This route fully showcases Wang Qinghua’s technical approach and style. He said that after months of relentless training in technique and strength, he was able to inch closer to his ultimate goal step by step. Since the route consists mostly of tiny “crimp” holds (small fingertip edges), it demands exceptional finger strength and endurance, as well as excellent movement sequencing. According to Wang Qinghua, from the second section until the crux, there are about 36 moves in total, and the 22nd move is the key to completing the route. Particularly challenging was controlling an extremely small crimp hold on a slight overhang of about 20 degrees, placing a heel hook, and then reaching for an extremely difficult pinch. This move left a deep impression on Wang Qinghua.
Although he has now completed the hardest route ever achieved by a Chinese climber, Wang Qinghua remains unsatisfied. He said that difficulty is merely a reference, not the ultimate goal. What we ultimately need to overcome and challenge is ourselves. In climbing, difficulty should not be a self-imposed limit. This is his insight gained from years of climbing experience. After completing the route, Wang Qinghua left a KAILAS quickdraw on it, hoping that more top climbers will come and try this classic route and experience the unique charm of climbing.
It's not just about difficulty, it's about self-challenge
The unknown story behind the 9a route "Red Dot Rice"
This is a high-difficulty route established in 2009 by Chris Sharma (the world-renowned American climber) at Yangshuo’s Leipi Mountain. The route is over 40 meters long and consists of two linked pitches, with the first pitch rated at 5.12b and the much harder second pitch at 5.14d. Due to its extreme difficulty, few climbers had attempted it before, let alone completed it. Chris Sharma himself left Yangshuo without finishing the route due to various reasons. Wang Qinghua became the first person to complete it, and the route was thus named "Red Dot Rice."
As for the origin of the name "Red Dot Rice," it goes back to when Wang Qinghua was playfully urged to treat others to a "Red Dot Rice." As is well known in the climbing community, "red point" is a verb meaning to complete a route. And according to tradition, once you succeed, you’re expected to celebrate by treating everyone to a meal — that meal is called the "Red Dot Rice." Wang Qinghua said that during his three trips to Yangshuo to climb this route, his friends would always tease him about treating them to a "Red Dot Rice." This time, having finally completed the route, he hosted the "Red Dot Rice" and fulfilled his wish. For this reason, he named this tough, unforgettable, and joyful route "Red Dot Rice."