Shihua Cave Scenic Area

Shihua Cave Scenic Area

Shihua Cave Scenic Area is a national scenic spot, a National AAAA-level tourist attraction, a national geopark, and a patriotic education base.

Originally named Qianzhen Cave and also known as Shifo Cave (Stone Buddha Cave), Beijing’s Shihua Cave is located in Nancheying Village, Fangshan District, approximately fifty kilometers south of Beijing’s urban area. Traveling along the Beijing–Shijiazhuang Expressway and exiting at Liangxiang, it’s just fifteen kilometers west to reach Shihua Cave.

As a typical representation of karst caves in North China, Shihua Cave is divided into seven levels. The first to fifth levels span a total passage length of over 5,000 meters, while the sixth and seventh levels consist of underground rivers.

Currently, the open sections of the first, second, and third levels cover a passage length of 1,900 meters, with a total floor area of about 18,000 square meters. The cave features twelve grand halls, sixteen chambers, and seventy-one differently shaped smaller side passages.

The natural formations inside Shihua Cave are exquisitely transparent, richly colored, and diverse in type. These include towering, snow-white stalagmites, stalactites, stone bamboo shoots, draperies, waterfalls, rimstone pools, dams, and terraces formed by dripping, flowing, and stagnant water, as well as numerous stone flowers, branches, helictites, crystal flowers, frost crystals, stone chrysanthemums, stone pearls, and stone grapes formed by seepage, splashing, and capillary water. Additionally, there are glittering soda straws, precious jewel towers, and illuminated walls. The many colorful stone flags and beautiful stone shields are typical of Chinese cave deposits, while the large quantity of moonmilk lotus flowers is a first discovery in Chinese caves. This makes Shihua Cave highly valuable for both scientific research and aesthetic appreciation.

Shihua Cave Scenic Area is located on the western side of Fangshan District, Beijing, about 40 kilometers from the city center. The cave maintains a constant temperature of 13°C year-round, making it an ideal summer retreat for weekend trips from the city. The cave boasts a wide variety of stone flowers in great abundance, ranking among the most spectacular karst caves in the country. Its multi-layered structure, formed by geological shifts, is extremely rare. The open sections of the cave are illuminated with colorful lights, creating a fantastical and magnificent landscape that is perfect for sightseeing and photography.

Currently, visitors can take Fangshan Route 43 bus directly to the entrance of the scenic area. For those driving, parking is only available at the Nancheying Village parking lot, about 1 kilometer outside the cave entrance. There is no further parking beyond this point, and local villagers may occasionally block the road. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the entrance, or you can take a privately operated shuttle bus run by villagers for around 20 yuan per person (the distance is short, so it’s unnecessary unless you have elderly or young people with limited stamina).

At the cave entrance, there is a stone tablet inscribed with “Karst Cave Museum” by Song Jian, former director of the State Science and Technology Commission, and a plaque reading “Shihua Cave” by Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China. The cave has seven levels in total, but currently, only the first to fourth levels are open to visitors. These comprise sixteen chambers and over one hundred scenic spots. Visitors can explore them on foot, following a route of about 2.5 kilometers that generally takes around two hours to complete. Photography enthusiasts may need more time. Additionally, guided tours are available to explain the shapes and legends of the stone formations. The tour fee is 100 yuan for groups of five or fewer, with an additional 10 yuan per person for groups larger than five.

The tour begins at the first level, which features scenic spots formed by over ten clusters of stalagmites, including “Lion Welcoming Guests,” “Carp Stream,” and “Penglai Fairy Island.” A notable feature near the cave entrance is the Ten Buddha Statues, consisting of ten Buddha and Bodhisattva carvings, which were commissioned and engraved during the Ming Dynasty’s Jingtai era by Monk Yuanguang. Further inside the cave, the “Jade Pool Stone Lotus” area showcases rare moonmilk formations resembling milky-white lotus flowers—an especially beautiful sight worth seeing.

The second level has a tour route of 1,352 meters, making it the longest and most expansive of the four open levels. It is more spacious, with grand and spectacular formations such as “Bamboo Fence and Thatched Cottage,” “Stone Waterfall,” “Dragon Palace Curtain,” and “Towering Mandarin Duck Pillars”—all highly atmospheric and perfect for cave photography.

The third and fourth levels are smaller in scale. The formations here are more delicate and still growing, unlike the larger, fully developed structures of the upper levels. They include small stalagmites and emerging stone flowers, with sights such as “Dragon Maiden’s Embroidery Platform,” “Immortal’s Mirror,” and “Flower Bamboo Tower Forest.” After exploring, visitors can exit the cave via the stairs on the right side of the fourth level.

About 1 kilometer outside the Shihua Cave scenic area, in Nancheying Village, there are several farm stays and small guesthouses where visitors can enjoy local rural cuisine or stay overnight. Standard rooms typically cost around 100 yuan.

Suggested Duration

2–3 hours

Transportation

Bus:

Take Fangshan Route 43 bus from the south side of Liangxiang South Gate Station on the Fangshan Subway Line, and get off at Shihua Cave Station. The fare is about 8 yuan.

Alternatively, take Route 833 bus from the west side of Liangxiang South Gate Station, get off at Shihua Cave Intersection Station (about 4 yuan), then walk for about half an hour to the scenic area, or take a taxi for around 20 yuan.

Self-driving:

Drivers can only reach the parking lot in Nancheying Village, about 1 kilometer outside the cave entrance. There is no further parking, and local villagers may block the road. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the entrance. Alternatively, you can take a privately operated shuttle bus run by villagers for around 20 yuan per person (the distance is short, so it’s unnecessary unless you have elderly or young people with limited stamina).

Ticket Price

Adult ticket: 70 yuan. Students with valid ID and seniors with senior IDs receive half-price tickets. Children under 1.2 meters enter free.

Opening Hours

8:30-17:00

Location

Nancheying Village, Hebei Township, Fangshan District, Beijing

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of National Key Scenic Areas