Patriarch Cave

Patriarch Cave

Known as the "rock-dwelling humble abode," Patriarch Cave is one of the renowned scenic spots of Wulei Temple, located atop the Niujiao Peak of Wulei Mountain. Legend has it that during the Chiwu era of the Wu Kingdom in the Three Kingdoms period, the Indian monk Narayana once practiced meditation in this cave. Originally, there was a roughly made stone incense burner, which has since been lost, leaving only the piled-up stones at the cave’s entrance. Ancient poets wrote: “In the barren cliffs and deep valleys a new foundation opens; atop the Niujiao Peak, evening chants are held. The gushing mountain springs beat like bells and chimes, while the clouds over Patriarch Cave echo with sound,” painting a vivid and lively picture of the cave.

Facing north, Patriarch Cave can be reached by climbing up from beside Wanghai Pavilion. The surrounding rocks are verdant and elegant, resembling a city gate, with thick green moss at the mouth and vines sprawling everywhere. The cave floor is flat enough to stand upright. Ancient tree branches on the cliff top twist and tangle together, among which an old gnarled root clings diagonally to a huge rock, hanging perilously in midair yet remarkably sturdy. To the left of the cave juts a bell-shaped cliff; when struck, it resonates with a deep hum. When morning mist rises slowly or fine rain shrouds the area, the front of the cave turns milky white, creating a scene of overlapping clouds and mist-wrapped peaks. This, set against the lush woods and swaying bamboos nearby, forms a richly colored painting. The most exquisite sight is the cluster of stone skylights on the right side of the cave ceiling. When sunlight shines obliquely, beams shoot straight into the cave like bundles of golden needles, and the water vapor inside refracts the light, forming a colorful halo. On a clear moonlit night, Patriarch Cave and the stone skylights create the illusion of a large moon encircled by smaller ones, appearing as if two moons emerge in tandem—truly a scene of “a jade mirror hanging in the sky, with white mist condensing on the surrounding walls.”

Standing on the outdoor platform outside the cave, a gentle breeze accompanied by the soft sounds of bamboo rustling greets you. In the sunlight, the emerald-green peaks of Xiangwang Peak, Xialiang Peak, Bijia Peak, and Tianshi Peak resemble lions and elephants, clouds and cliffs. Looking northward, Wulei Temple, with its golden tiles and yellow walls, stands row upon row, resembling the lotus petals of five peaks cradling a flower’s heart—an image open to the imagination. Folklore says that when Narayana, the founding patriarch of Wulei Temple, meditated in seclusion in the cave, the Bull King of Niujiao Peak and the Elephant King of Xiangwang Peak often came together to listen to his teachings. Moved by their sincerity, Guanyin Bodhisattva bestowed upon them each a grove of purple bamboo. Today, the purple bamboo covering the mountainside is said to be rarely found elsewhere.