Little Stone Cave

Little Stone Cave

A renowned cave and spring scenic spot on Yushan Mountain, Little Stone Cave is located within the former Baiyunxi Temple at the western foot of Yushan. The temple has long been in ruins, with only its mountain gate remaining. Just a few dozen steps past the gate, you’ll find this cave, known as the “Little Stone Cave.”

The cave is over three meters deep, narrower at the top and wider at the bottom. Descending the stone steps, you’ll see that the left side of the rock face is covered like a roof, providing space for more than ten people. According to the Tang Dynasty’s *Record of Wu* by Lu Guangwei, legend has it that this was where Jiang Ziya (Lü Shang) took refuge from King Zhou of Shang. At the center of the cave floor lies a spring pool, with crystal-clear green water reflecting the shadows of clouds and trees above. The pool walls bear prominently carved inscriptions such as “Dewdrop Spring” and “Famous Spring Under Heaven.” The spring water trickles down through the rocky crevices like pearls, creating a pleasant plinking sound as it enters the pool. The water is sweet and refreshing, making it excellent for brewing tea.

At the cave entrance stands a wisteria plant left from the Ming Dynasty-era Tengxi Thatched Cottage. Its main trunk has a diameter of 0.25 meters, is about 10 meters tall, and is rooted in a girth that could be embraced by one person. The wisteria branches divide into several clusters, twisting and curling as they climb upward. Owing to the depth of the cave and the ancient wisteria covering the ceiling, the interior remains cool in summer and warm in winter, offering a pleasantly mild climate. Visitors often feel as if they’ve entered a fairyland.

Related Knowledge: The Baiyunqi Temple, where this stone cave is located, was initially built as a Buddhist cottage near the cave during the Ming Dynasty, according to local chronicles. In the 20th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1755), a local man named Sun Qifu funded its expansion. Over seven years, more than fifty rooms were constructed, along with multi-storied pavilions and grand towers, giving the place an imposing appearance. It was then named “Baiyunqi Temple.” During the Jiaqing era, Qian Chaojin, Yan Shangwei, and others renovated the temple and built a “Spring Pavilion” above the cave. In the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860), the temple was destroyed. Although it underwent minor repairs afterward, it never regained its former glory. The area around the cave was once home to numerous stone carvings and steles, including Emperor Qianlong’s copy of Mi Fu’s “Fantiyou” plaque, Zhao Mengfu’s calligraphy of “Inscription on the Humble Room,” Jiaqing-era writer Sun Yuangxiang’s work with Wu Weiguang’s calligraphy titled “Record of the Founding of Little Stone Cave Temple and Land Donation,” and the Daoguang-era painting of “Plum Blossom Stream Hermit Portrait” by Weng Luo with an inscription by Qian Yong titled “Biography of the Plum Blossom Stream Hermit.” Unfortunately, all of these have been lost over time.