The country boy heading for the top

Liu Yongbang's hands show the wear and tear of 12 years of rock climbing in Yangshuo. Huo Yan / China Daily

Liu Yongbang often reminds people of Brendan Fraser, star of the movie George of the Jungle - long, curly hair, well-developed muscles and a cute smile. The only difference is that Liu doesn't dangle in the jungle, but off crags.

His hands are testament to his commitment: After 12 years of gripping rock faces, his fingers are scarred, and the joints below his fingertips are as thick as those near the palm.

The 27-year-old, known as "Abond" in Chinese climbing circles, is one of the country's best climbers - quite an achievement for someone who until the age of 15 herded cattle after school in rural Hunan province.

His life path changed when he traveled to Yangshuo in 2004 to visit a cousin who worked at one of the climbing clubs. It was the first time he had seen people scaling a rock face.

"I had heard of rock climbing before. But seeing it for real is something else. I found it absorbing, so I stayed and never returned home," he said.

At the time, he had only 30 yuan ($4.80) in his pocket. His mother had given him 80 yuan when he boarded the train to Yangshuo, but he'd taken a cab and bought a pair of shoes so his funds were almost gone.

Undaunted, he got an evening job in a bar, where he slept on a sofa after closing time every night. During the day, he went out with other climbers to learn and perfect his skills.

"The sport was just starting in the country. There were no coaches or videos to watch, but Yangshuo had a good atmosphere. I watched the other climbers' moves and used them myself, although I never asked what the techniques were called," he said.

After two years, he began to climb Yangshuo's toughest routes, and became the first Chinese to finish routes graded at 5.14.

Zhang Yong, deputy director of the Yangshuo Rock Climbing Association, said climbers who can scale 5.14 routes are regarded as the top players in the field in China.

Yangshuo is home to nine of them, including Liu, but despite their fame among their peers, they are hardly household names.

Xiao Ting, Liu's girlfriend and also an experienced climber, said that two years ago, China Central Television reported on a successful ascent of the Totem Pole, a 65-meter-tall natural stone tower in Australia.

"But they have never reported that a Chinese (Liu) also accomplished that feat a few years before," she said.

The desire to continue learning and improving still dominates Liu's life. "I've attempted routes that Todd Skinner finished 30 years ago, but I still can't complete some of them. There's a big gap," he said.

In recent years, Liu and friends have spent a few weeks every year attempting difficult climbs overseas and recording information to share with others back home. They also bring foreign climbers to open new routes in Yangshuo and other parts of China.

"Hopefully, one day, our efforts will see Chinese climbers catch up with top climbers from other countries with much longer climbing histories," he said.