Seb Bouin has made the first ascent of El Grand Cabron, 9b, in Shegeng Cave, Fengshan County, Guangxi, southern China.

The route, Bouin's thirteenth at 9b, is now the hardest in China.

Shegeng Cave is a relatively new climbing area, having been discovered by a local climber in 2024, and developed and bolted by a number of climbers from both China and further afield.

Having traveled to China with the intention of exploring the top-end climbing potential there that lay there, as well as establishing hard first ascents, Bouin's first ascent of El Grand Cabron takes the title of China's hardest climb, held previously by Edu Marin, and his first ascent of the 9a+ route The Clinic.

Speaking of the area, and the route, Bouin said:

'Lost among hundreds of incredible caves and walls, I feel like a child in the middle of an amusement park—completely in awe. Everywhere I look, I'm blown away. It's an incredible feeling to realize that almost everything here is yet to be discovered. There are so many caves, so many untouched walls—it's just a matter of choosing the one that calls to us'.

'Every day is thrilling, filled with adventure, discovery, new experiences, and climbing projects. Immersed in a completely new culture, I'm taking in a wave of novelty and adaptation. Now, after a mix of confidence and joy, followed by doubts and frustration, I'm happy to have finally sent El Gran Cabrón, 9b'.

'Coming to China, I had no idea what to expect. It's an incredible experience to find such a project and challenge myself in a setting like this. China leaves no one indifferent—I feel like this trip is opening my mind in so many ways. The distance, the unfamiliar culture, and this new way of life disorient me as much as they fascinate me. There are plenty of additional doubts that come with adapting, making the adventure all the more exciting'.

'When I arrived, I was blown away by all the caves. But I wasn't sure if I would find a hard and inspiring route. We started climbing in the Shegeng cave. A lot of work has already been done by local and foreign climbers (Toni Arbones, David Gambus, Dani Andrada, Jonatan Flor).I went straight to check out El Gran Cabrón, bolted by David Gambús. I couldn't make sense of all the moves at first. The climbing here is incredibly complex, with so many methods to figure out'.

'I was surprised by the quality of the rock and the movement style of the route. It's absolutely beautiful and super fun to climb! The crux sequences involve pinches and really physical moves — I love it!'

'The route starts with a 7c+/8a, followed by a 7b+ boulder, then a good kneebar rest. After that comes the crux: a 8a/+ boulder with amazing moves on vertical holds and pinches —exactly my style!'

'Then there's a decent rest leading into a tricky 7b+/c boulder, where I fell around 5 times due to mistakes on small details. Finally, you have to finish into a 7a+ boulder, where I fell once before grabbing the final jug'.

'Huge thanks to the locals for their incredible hospitality and for all the development they've done here. Amazing work, guys—BRAVO!'