Shoushan Immortal Cave

Shoushan Immortal Cave

The Shoushan Immortal Cave is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Immortal Cave is located about 50 meters from the summit on the eastern slope of Shoushan’s main peak. It is a relatively large natural karst cave. Through surveys and trial excavations of the cave’s sediment deposits and unearthed artifacts, a collection of precious animal fossils and stone tools were discovered. These findings confirm that the cave was a late Paleolithic human cultural site, dating back over 18,000 years.

Shoushan is located within the territory of Yumuqiaozhi Town, Huadian City. Historical records indicate that in the 21st year of the Kangxi reign (1683), Emperor Kangxi visited this mountain. In the 19th year of the Qianlong reign (1755), Emperor Qianlong made an eastern tour to Jilin. On August 13, his birthday celebration known as the “Wanshou Festival,” after feasting and festivities, he climbed to a high vantage point. The overlapping mountain ranges, vast expanses of red foliage, and densely layered forests painted in autumn hues created boundless scenic beauty, leaving him deeply pleased and refreshed. Thus, in high spirits, he personally named the mountain “Zhalafin Alin” (which means “Longevity Mountain” in Manchu), and composed the widely circulated and much-loved verse: “The camp by the western waters is truly a jade-like stream; facing the southern mountain, it is the Mountain of Longevity.” To this day, the mountain still retains relics from that time, such as the “Qingchaguan” spring and the “Empress’s Basin,” which were once used by Emperor Qianlong and the Empress for drinking water. Even more remarkably, in June 1991, experts from the Archaeology Department of Jilin University and the Huadian Cultural Relics Management Office jointly conducted an archaeological survey and discovered a large natural karst cave on Shoushan. A number of valuable animal fossils and stone tools were excavated from inside the cave. Research has confirmed that this is a cultural site from the Paleolithic Age, and its discovery filled a gap in the Paleolithic archaeological record of the Jilin region. Currently, the Shoushan Immortal Cave has been designated as a National Cultural Relics Protection Unit.