Nanjing Tangshan Caves

Nanjing Tangshan Caves

Nanjing Tangshan Caves

In the Leigong Mountain, about one kilometer from Tangshan Town in Nanjing, lies a massive cave system. According to modern scientific surveys, the total area of these caves spans tens of thousands of square meters. Authenticated by archaeologists and geologists, this cave complex is the masterpiece created by a monumental tectonic movement that occurred approximately 170 million years ago. Without that “mountain-building” event, the rock layers of these caves would now lie thousands of meters beneath our feet.

In 1984, quarry workers first discovered the “Leigong Cave” within the Nanjing Tangshan Caves. The cave features winding, rugged paths with undulating elevations. It consists of three chambers and six corridors, along with unexplored branches and inner caves, as well as perilous canyons and unfathomably deep pools. Nearby, a giant turtle-shaped rock stretches its neck toward the water, creating a truly marvelous sight.

In 1990, while quarrying halfway up the mountain, workers discovered another cave shaped like a reclining gourd. Looking up at the ceiling, one sees icicle-like stalactites resembling a heavenly maiden scattering flowers—vibrant and dazzling in color. The cave walls are covered with cascading stone draperies that resemble waterfalls, creating a spectacular sight. Some formations are as clear and colorful as jade or agate. On the ground, a forest of stone stalagmites takes on countless shapes, with many stalactites resembling animals and plants, presenting an overwhelming and mesmerizing spectacle. Stepping into the cave feels like entering a world of pearls and agates, or even a royal dragon palace.

On March 13, 1992, workers discovered a relatively intact skull in an inner chamber of the Gourd Cave. After examination by experts from the Nanjing Institute of Paleontology and the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it was identified as the fossilized skull of an early hominid. This discovery marks another major find in China, following the “Peking Man,” “Yuanmou Man,” “Lantian Man,” and Anhui’s “Hexian Man.” Moreover, it is the most complete skull fossil found in China to date and is indeed a rare national treasure. A large number of mammal fossils were also excavated from the cave, such as the swollen-headed deer and the Celebes black macaque deer, both of which were found south of the Yangtze River for the first time. This discovery undoubtedly holds immeasurable scientific research value for China’s archaeological work.