Bugu Rock Waterfall Cave

Bugu Rock Waterfall Cave

In the Yangtianhu Forest Area of Yuyao's Siming Mountain Town, there is a waterfall cave called Bugu Rock. It is more than three times larger than the prototype of the Water Curtain Cave from *Journey to the West* — the one at Huaguo Mountain in Lianyungang City. This site was also once a revolutionary base, serving as the headquarters of the East Zhejiang Guerrilla Column. Yesterday, when reporters visited the location to experience it firsthand, they were awed by its wonder.

Starting from Siming Mountain Villa, it’s about a 2-kilometer walk along rugged mountain paths down to the stream. In the quiet valley, birds can be heard chirping from time to time. Mr. Wang, a staff member from the Ningbo Forest Farm who accompanied the group, explained: “Bugu Rock got its name from the legend that gu birds used to call here.” At the end of the stream is a cliff, where the water plunges down into the valley, forming a rather majestic waterfall — although from the mountain ridge above, you can only hear it, not see it. A small path beside the cliff leads straight down to the valley, where you’re greeted by a steep cliff. A waterfall about 20 meters high pours over the semicircular cave entrance at the bottom of the valley, creating a four- to five-meter-wide water curtain that cascades into a round pool in front of the cave.

“The cave entrance is 35 meters wide and 3 meters high, with an interior depth of 11 meters that can accommodate over 300 people. This dual landscape of waterfall and cave has been called ‘China’s largest’ waterfall cave by experts.” According to Mr. Wang, the stream here flows year-round, and in winter, the water curtain turns into an ice curtain, with the flowing water freezing into long icicles that hang dramatically outside the cave, crystal clear and even more spectacular. As one of the 19 revolutionary bases across the country during the Anti-Japanese War, Siming Mountain holds countless moving stories left behind by revolutionaries. Bugu Rock lies deep in the mountains, in a location of strategic importance. Locals say that the headquarters of the East Zhejiang Guerrilla Column of the New Fourth Army once used this cave, which could hold hundreds of people, to store supplies and hide the wounded. After the Northern Retreat, members once set up a command post here for some time, using a radio to receive orders from Yan’an and fight the enemy with unwavering determination. It can be said that this waterfall cave also witnessed a glorious chapter of history.

When it comes to the Bugu Rock Waterfall Cave, locals are especially proud. Hu Jianjun, director of the Ningbo Forest Farm, said that according to legend, the Water Curtain Cave described in Wu Cheng’en’s *Journey to the West* was modeled after the one at Huaguo Mountain in Lianyungang City, but compared to the one on Siming Mountain, that one is only a quarter the size in scale and grandeur. Scholars from Siming Mountain have also researched historical materials: Wu Cheng’en’s ancestors once served as education officers in Yuyao, and Wu Cheng’en himself worked as a deputy magistrate in Changxing County — it’s possible he traveled here and drew inspiration, which is why he wrote such a magical version of the Water Curtain Cave in *Journey to the West*.

Siming Mountain Town: Located at the southernmost tip of Yuyao City, adjacent to Yinzhou, Fenghua, Shengzhou, and Yuyao counties/cities, Siming Mountain Town gets its name from being situated atop the Siming Mountain Range. It is a mountain town rich in resources and blessed with beautiful scenery. The town has a total population of 11,960 and governs 12 administrative villages, covering an administrative area of 121 square kilometers, including 7,137 mu of arable land and 118,678 mu of forest. With an average elevation of 700 meters, Siming Mountain enjoys a yearly average temperature of 13°C, with the absolute highest summer temperature reaching 32°C and the absolute winter temperature dropping to -15°C. It is known as “a cool breeze-filled Moganshan in summer, and a snowy wonderland in winter...” More details about Siming Mountain Town ++