Prince's Scenic Area

Prince's Scenic Area

The Prince's Scenic Area is located within the Shimen Cave Scenic Zone and is the second scenic area of Shimen Cave. It is a low mountain range with an average elevation of 700 meters and is composed of rhyolitic volcanic tuff. It stretches from Lishanwei in the east to the back mountains of Dongbei Village in the south, from the road between Shimen Cave and Shigu Lake in the west to Jihou Village in the north, covering an area of approximately 1 square kilometer and extending from north to south.

The explorable area extends 2,000 meters in depth. The main peak, Daoshi Guan, has an elevation of 809.2 meters. The valley depth reaches about 500 meters, with mountain slopes ranging between 50 to 90 degrees. There are 26 major attractions, including Prince Summit, Daoshi Guan, Toutian Cave, Shengshui Cave, and Lishanwei Waterfall.

Daoshi Guan is located on the southern side of Prince Summit, atop the mountain peak. A massive rock rises high, over 800 meters above sea level, and resembles a Taoist priest’s hat when viewed from afar.

Prince Summit is situated to the north of Daoshi Guan, at the top of another peak. The summit area spans 2,000 square meters, flat as if sliced by a knife, surrounded by steep cliffs. From a distance, it looks like a bear. Legend has it that Liu Bowen, the imperial scholar of the Ming Dynasty, once lived in seclusion here. The imperial crown prince of the Zhu family came to the mountain to visit his teacher Liu Bowen. Later generations named the mountain “Prince Mountain,” and its summit “Prince Summit.”

Toutian Cave is perched on the cliffs on the eastern side of the top of Daoshi Guan. This cave was formed by vertical rock fractures and fault collapses. The main cave is over 20 meters long, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, measuring 3–47 meters at the top and 0.3–1.5 meters at the bottom. The uniqueness of the cave lies in the fact that three interconnected caves—vertical and horizontal—form a chain of cavities. There are caves within caves, caves outside caves, caves within other caves, all interlinked and open to the sky (each cave reveals a glimpse of blue sky), hence the name “Toutian” (Penetrating the Sky), making it one of the six wonders of the scenic area.

Lishanwei Waterfall is located near the Lishanwei forest area. The waterfall is about 10 meters wide and drops approximately 30 meters. Nearby, there are farmhouses and ancient trees, giving it a rustic countryside charm.

Shengshui Cave is situated at the foot of the northern side of Daoshi Guan. It was formed after the collapse of cliffs due to long-term water erosion. Inside the cave is a pool about 4 square meters in size. The clear dewdrops dripping from the inner walls and ceiling of Shengshui Cave gather in the pool, known as “holy water,” which flows year-round without drying up.

The South Sea Two Youths are located on the northern side of Prince Summit. These two peaks rise from the ground, each about 100 meters high and 3 meters in diameter. When clouds and mist rise, they strikingly resemble two of Guanyin’s attendants holding hands, riding the clouds back to the South Sea.

The Prince's Scenic Area features undulating mountains, winding ridgelines, and lush forests, with a forest coverage rate of over 90%. The average elevation is relatively high, the air is fresh, sunlight is abundant, and most water sources come from dripping rock walls and crevices—clean, sweet, and of excellent ecological quality. It is a great destination for hiking, fitness, and exploring scenic wonders. Especially for viewing mountain fog scenes, it is a rare “immortal” landscape.

To the northeast of the Prince's Scenic Area lies the first scenic area of Shimen Cave — Shimen Waterfall.