Yaolin Wonderland

Yaolin Wonderland

Yaolin Wonderland is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Yaolin Wonderland is located in Tonglu County, Zhejiang Province, China, 80 kilometers from Hangzhou and 23 kilometers from the county seat. It is a typical representative of karst caves in the subtropical humid zone of the central coastal area of East China and is classified as a national scenic area. Also known as the Yaolin Cave, it extends 1 kilometer deep and covers a total area of 28,000 square meters. It is one of the “Forty Best Tourist Attractions in China” and one of the “Top Ten Tourist Attractions in Zhejiang Province.” In 2002, it was ranked among the national AAAA-level scenic spots. Renowned for its winding and uniquely shaped cave formations and magnificent array of rock formations, it is hailed as “the best of all caves in China.” The painter Ye Qianyu praised it as “rare in China and seldom seen in the world.”

　Yaolin Wonderland, also known as the Yaolin Cave, extends 1 kilometer deep and covers a total area of 28,000 square meters. It is located in Yaolin Town, Tonglu County, western Zhejiang, 80 kilometers from Hangzhou. The internationally renowned Yaolin Wonderland is one of the “Forty Best Tourist Attractions in China” and one of the “Top Ten Tourist Attractions in Zhejiang Province.” In 2002, it was listed as a national 4A-level scenic tourist attraction.

Geographic Features

Yaolin Wonderland attracts the attention of tourists from around the world with its magical landforms and stunning stalactite landscapes. It is a typical karst landform and represents a classic example of karst caves in the subtropical humid zone of the central coastal area of East China, classified as a national scenic area.

Karst, also known as karst topography, generally refers to regions where the bedrock is exposed, vegetation is sparse, and the landscape features caves, sinkholes, and underground rivers but lacks surface rivers and lakes. It results from the dissolution of soluble, block-like limestone by groundwater. The term "karst" originally referred to the limestone region along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea in Europe but is now used to describe similar regions worldwide. Karst areas are scattered across the globe, such as the Causses in France, Guangxi in China, and Kentucky in the United States. The conditions that promote karst development include: 1) dense limestone with well-developed joints near the surface; 2) moderate to heavy rainfall; 3) unobstructed groundwater circulation. Limestone (calcium carbonate) dissolves easily in slightly acidic water, which is common in nature. Rainwater seeps into the limestone through horizontal and vertical cracks, dissolving and carrying away the stone. As surface material is also washed away by water, the undissolved limestone forms a karst surface. Vertical joints along fractures gradually widen and deepen, creating rugged terrain. When rainwater flows along underground fissures, it continuously widens and deepens them until cave systems or underground rivers are formed. Narrow, vertical shafts connect with these channels, allowing surface water to drain smoothly through underground rivers. Most of the world’s large caves are located in karst regions. The rock gullies, natural bridges, isolated limestone peaks, and stone forests commonly seen in photos are all unique karst landforms. If a cave is large enough and its ceiling is close to the surface, the roof may collapse, creating a depression known as a sinkhole. Sinkholes are among the most characteristic features of karst terrain and often merge into larger depressions called poljes (commonly referred to as “tiankeng”), which usually have flat bottoms and are covered with soil formed from insoluble residues in the limestone. In some areas with less soluble material in the limestone, the remaining substances form arable soil. In some high-rainfall karst regions, all precipitation infiltrates underground, making even drinking water scarce. In other areas, large springs may emerge on the surface, flow in river-like patterns, and then disappear back underground.