Fangshan Shangfang Yunshui Cave

Fangshan Shangfang Yunshui Cave

Shangfang Mountain Yunshui Cave is located within the Shangfang Mountain National Forest Park in Hancunhe Town, Fangshan District, southwest of Beijing, about 60 kilometers from the city center. The Shangfang Mountain National Forest Park boasts a long history — as early as over 1,400 years ago during the Eastern Wei Dynasty, monks established temples here, making it the earliest recorded Buddhist temple in the Beijing area. Over the centuries, visitors have praised it as “Suzhou and Hangzhou in the south, Shangfang in the north” and “the hidden gem of Youyan.” The area features uniquely shaped peaks, lush ancient trees, blooming flowers in spring, refreshing summers, and vibrant autumn foliage. In 1993, it was designated as one of China’s twenty model forest parks by the former Ministry of Forestry, making it an ideal destination for leisure, fitness, vacationing, and sightseeing. It is especially famous for its “Nine Caves, Twelve Peaks, and Seventy-Two Hermitages.” Shangfang Mountain has nine major caves: Yunshui Cave, Chaoyang Cave, Western Cave, Vajra Cave, Yanshou Cave, Jiuhuan Cave, Yin-Yang Cave, Heavenly King Cave, and Huayan Cave, where the founding monk Huayan Huisheng resided. Among them, the most renowned is “Yunshui Cave.” The three characters “云水洞” (Yunshui Cave) at the cave entrance were personally inscribed by Mr. Zhao Puchu. The cave stretches 613 meters and features six main chambers and 108 natural rock formations. At the entrance stands a 2-meter-tall freestanding cliff carving of a Buddha statue, created during the Liao Dynasty. The cave chambers are tall, majestic, and spectacular. Highlights include the Sky-Supporting Jade Pillar, Twin Lions Butting Bulls, Lion Gazing at the Moon, Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl, and the Eighteen Arhats, all considered wonders of the karst cave.

Particularly remarkable is the 38-meter-tall Sky-Supporting Jade Pillar in the second chamber, the tallest of its kind in Asia. It is grand and imposing. On the stalactites, there are stone gongs, drums, and a stone “piano” that produce surprisingly realistic sounds when struck with a wooden stick, capable of playing songs such as “I Am a Soldier” and “Yangko Dance.” This unique attraction is unmatched by other cave sights and is highly favored by both domestic and international tourists.

Address: Beside Shengshuiyu Village, Hancunhe Town, Fangshan District, Beijing (within Shangfang Mountain Forest Park)

Type: Cave

Opening Hours:

8:00-18:00

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 30.0 RMB