Mengzhen Cave in Beipingshan

Mengzhen Cave in Beipingshan

Mengzhen Cave in Beipingshan is a cultural tourism attraction.

About 5 kilometers northwest of Jinzhou lies a mountain called Beipingshan, with an elevation of 319.9 meters. On the southwestern slope near the summit of the mountain, there is a limestone karst cave known as Gufo Cave, also called Mengzhen Cave or Immortal Cave, which is a municipal-level cultural heritage site.

I had long heard of this cave and visited it back in 2006. At that time, I took the route on the right side of the Army Academy near Longwang Temple in Jinzhou, but after asking several passersby, no one knew about it. Finally, someone said it was on the western mountain, but since vehicles couldn’t get through, I gave up.

Recently, I learned that a new Beipingshan Agricultural Ecological Park has been built at the foot of Beipingshan, from which one can now reach Gufo Cave, so I decided to go exploring again. Entering via the Jinzhou Longwang Temple shortcut road, I got onto Binhai Highway, then turned right at the fork between Binhai Highway and Dajin Line, heading toward Dawei Family on Dajin Line. After driving forward to Qianshi Village, I turned right and continued along the road to reach the Beipingshan Agricultural Ecological Park. Admission to the park requires a ticket. Once inside, I first enjoyed the park’s landscape, then followed the cement road to Gufo Cave. The final stretch near the summit is an earthen path, just passable for vehicles, taking me close to the cave entrance. Near the cave mouth, a newly built pavilion stands, and there were monks and lay practitioners there.

Above the cave entrance, there is a snowflake-patterned stone plaque inscribed with the three large characters “古佛洞” (Gufo Cave), which dates back to the Republican era. Gufo Cave is naturally formed. Upon entering the cave, you pass through a narrow passage of over ten meters to reach the main hall. The hall is about 10 square meters, circular in shape, with a domed ceiling approximately 6 meters high. On the side of the hall, there is another narrow passage leading to a smaller inner cave.

According to accounts, the cave originally housed over twenty artificially carved stone Buddha statues utilizing the cave wall’s stalactites. Among them, the main Buddha, a statue of Tathagata, features a round face, ears that reach the shoulders, slightly open eyes, and hands resting on the knees, seated upon a lotus throne — this was carved during the Liao and Jin dynasties. Additionally, according to an inscription on a Manjushri Bodhisattva statue from the third year of the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty (552 AD), housed in the Jinzhou Museum, this cave was initially excavated during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, about 1,500 years ago. By the Republican era, it was still a popular place of worship, but it suffered damage during the Cultural Revolution, leaving only remnants, with the main Buddha statue remaining relatively intact. There are also a few other faintly visible small carved Buddha statues on the cave walls.

Above the cave, spring water drips down onto the Buddha statues. When the setting sun casts its light into the cave, the drops glisten brilliantly as they shine upon the Buddha figures — this is one of the ancient Eight Scenic Spots of Jinzhou, known as “Buddha Cave Dripping Spring.” Moreover, the cave contains a marvelously resonant stone chime. On the cave walls are several indentations, raised around the edges — these are the stone chimes. When you tap these spots with your palm, a resonant clanging sound can be heard.

Location: Beipingshan Mountain, approximately 5 kilometers west of Jinzhou District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province

Transportation: Take a bus from Dalian to Jinzhou, then transfer to a minibus or taxi to reach the site.