Zangjun Cave

Zangjun Cave

On the eastern side of the summit of Laohubei, the main peak of Xiangshan Mountain, there is a cave entrance covered with a stone slab, roughly 80 centimeters square. This is the renowned historic site of Xiangshan — Zangjun Cave.

According to historical records, the Zangjun Caves in Xiangshan were first constructed about 3,000 years ago during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. At that time, King Helü of Wu held supremacy among the feudal lords, launching attacks on Yue and Chu, triggering large-scale warfare. For tactical purposes related to offense and defense, numerous Zangjun Caves were dug in the Xiangshan and Changshan areas along the Yangtze River.

In the 1970s, archaeologists discovered a large number of pottery pieces with geometric patterns and red pottery characteristic of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in the Zangjun Caves on the northwest slope of Xiangshan, confirming this historical account.

Research indicates that the Zangjun Caves feature an A-shaped tunnel structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. Both walls are built with block stones. The interior height ranges from 5 to 10 meters, the width between the southern and northern ends at the base is 4 to 5 meters, and the tunnel runs east-west in a tunnel-like shape with a depth of 25 meters.

What sets the Zangjun Caves of Xiangshan apart are the following features:

First, every three caves are grouped together in a well-arranged triangular formation, totaling nine such groups. Each group covers an area of about 2,500 square meters — a configuration not found in other Zangjun Cave sites.

Second, the orientation of the tunnel inside the cave runs parallel to the direction of the mountain, allowing soldiers to enter and exit from the sides rather than the front or back, whereas in other locations, the tunnels mostly run perpendicular to the mountain’s contour.

Third, unlike caves on other mountains that are usually built halfway up the slopes, the Zangjun Caves of Xiangshan are situated atop the mountain peak, giving them a commanding vantage point.

Fourth, the Zangjun Caves of Xiangshan are the closest to the Yangtze River among those along the “Southern Great Wall,” likely due to Xiangshan's historically strategic position as a gateway to the river and sea. After appropriate restoration and arrangement, the Zangjun Caves have been returned to their original appearance and layout, and are now open to the public.