Yalingou Karst Cave

Yalingou Karst Cave

Yalingou Karst Cave

The Yalingou Cave Site, locally called Lingshan Cave, is located in Yalingou Village, Xintaimen Manchu-Mongolian Town, Lianshan District, about 48 kilometers from downtown Lianshan District. The cave is on the eastern mountainside of the village, with its entrance facing west at a bearing of 14° south. In front of the cave there is a flat, open area; to the north stand three residential houses, in front of which is a cultural heritage protection monument. To the south are three unfinished storage sheds, and at the foot of the path leading northwest down the mountain is an incomplete, dug-out well.

The Yalingou Cave extends 170 meters into the mountain and is a natural limestone cave. The entrance is 2 meters high and 2.65 meters wide, with a semicircular lintel inscribed with the three characters “Ling Shan Dong” (Lingshan Cave) in seal script, flanked by a couplet reading “Long History, Great Spiritual Power,” also in seal script, signed “Mid-Summer, Year of Xinwei (1991).” Originally, there was an iron door at the entrance, but now only the frame remains. Inside the cave, lights are strung every ten meters. The floor is uneven and divides into two main chambers. Sixteen meters from the entrance, there is a naturally formed overhanging rock 0.58 meters above the ground, splitting the cave into two entrances—one higher on the left, one lower on the right. The air inside the cave is damp. At 45 meters, there is a steep slope with sticky red sandy soil on the ground; stone slab steps have been laid for easier walking. Between 50–55 meters, the ground layer has been disturbed. Descending the steps leads to the first chamber. From 70–90 meters, the chamber is broad and spacious, able to accommodate several people. On the right side is a large pit, locally called the “Tianjing” (Skylight), said in legend to be the “Fairy’s Bath.” According to Zhang Shuren, a villager from Yalingou, the Tianjing is about 70–80 meters deep, with no water but containing air. For safety, wooden posts and railings have been installed beside the steps. Further ahead, the ground rises to form a 21-meter-long “sky ladder” with 51 steps. Below it is a gentle slope. In this section, humidity increases, and mist seems to float overhead while water droplets gather on the ceiling. The second chamber lies between 130–150 meters, where a 9-meter-long cement platform sits on the right. Stalactites hang from the walls—4 meters high and 2.4 meters wide—and from a distance resemble two figures standing side by side. These are now revered by worshippers as the “Formless Father” and “Formless Mother.” The final section leads to the cave’s ceiling area—the end of the cave. This ceiling area is 6.5 meters wide and 1.8 meters above the ground, rising to a maximum height of 6 meters. As you proceed further, rocks block the way; if cleared, it is believed that two additional passages extend roughly 10 kilometers ahead. The Yalingou Cave Site features peculiar rock formations, spacious chambers, and a long, winding passage. It remains cool in summer and warm in winter, with underground springs at the bottom. In 1985, Sun Shoudao, a senior researcher from the provincial archaeological institute, discovered horse tooth fossils near the Tianjing and also found polished stone tools on the hillside outside the cave. These findings suggest that this environment was once suitable for human habitation and may have been a dwelling site for early humans. Given the rarity of such cave sites in our city and the presence of preserved soil layers within the cave, it is recommended that this site be upgraded from a county-level to a municipal-level cultural heritage protection unit for future archaeological research.