Taiji Cave

Taiji Cave

Taiji Cave is a national scenic area and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Taiji Cave has been an ideal destination for travelers for over 2,000 years. The three characters “Taiji Cave” were inscribed by Wu Tongchun, the magistrate of Guangde in the Ming Dynasty, in the fourth month of the Year of Yin during the Wanli reign. Legend has it that Laozi, the Supreme Old Lord, traveled across famous mountains and great rivers, passed by this cave, was so captivated that he lingered and forgot to leave, eventually turning to stone and leaving his immortal visage behind in the cave. Hence comes the poem, “This cave is uniquely marvelous under heaven, so enchanting one could linger for tens of thousands of years,” from which Taiji Cave gets its name.

Since the Han and Tang dynasties, literati, scholars, and nobles have left their traces here. Emperors Liu Xiu of the Han, Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming, and Qianlong of the Qing all toured the cave, leaving behind vestiges still faintly visible. Fan Zhongyan of the Song Dynasty left the inscription “Qiongran Rock.” Wu Tongchun of the Ming Dynasty inscribed steles during his visit. Feng Menglong of the Ming Dynasty referred to “Guangde’s Hidden Wonder (Taiji Cave), the Qiantang River Tides, the Thunder Drum of Leizhou, and the Sea Mirage” as the Four Wonders of the World.

From the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties to the Republic of China, many notable figures were drawn here. They inscribed their names in history and carved their calligraphy into the rocks, leaving precious works of art on the cave walls and cliffs. Ten ancient poems and over 10,000 characters of ancient travel essays praising Taiji Cave have been identified. Taiji Cave was also one of the ancient battlefields where Yue Fei resisted the Jin invaders during the Southern Song Dynasty. All these fully demonstrate the long history and rich traditional culture of Taiji Cave.

In 1986, ancient pottery fragments and vertebrate fossils were discovered in the cave. According to archaeologists, these are the remains of the 100,000-year-old Pseudaxis grayi and evidence of human activity, providing valuable material and a site for multidisciplinary research in paleozoology, paleoanthropology, and paleogeology. In the same year, the cave was opened to the public. The scenic area has since improved its facilities and supporting services, evolving into a comprehensive tourism zone.

In 2008, the Taiji Cave Scenic Area Management Committee was established as a public institution directly under the county government, with the rank of deputy department level.

Geographic Location

Taiji Cave is located in the belly of Shilong Mountain, within Taoyuan Village, Xinhang Town, northeast of Guangde County. It is 38 kilometers from the county seat, with its central position approximately at 119°60’ east longitude and 31°12’ north latitude. It borders Yixing County of Jiangsu Province and Tianchang County of Zhejiang Province, sharing land and water connections that intertwine. The entire visitor area outside the cave spans 2 square kilometers, consisting mainly of low hills and plateaus, with undulating low hills stretching on both sides of the cave entrance forming a figure-eight shape. The surrounding area is embraced by numerous peaks, with over 20 large and small mountains. Among them, Sanzhou Mountain (also known as Sankuai Mountain) stands prominently, reaching an elevation of 512.9 meters.

Scenery

Single-Image Scenery

Scenic spots named after “single images” include “Supreme Old Lord,” resembling an elderly man with white hair, clasping his hands in prayer; “Ancient Locust Tree,” resembling a towering tree with lush branches and leaves; “Upside-Down Immortal Boat,” resembling a small boat hanging upside down in mid-air; “Twin Pagodas Piercing the Sky,” resembling pagodas standing inverted with bases reaching into the clouds; “Golden Dragon Coiled Around a Pillar,” resembling a jade pillar wrapped by a dragon amidst auspicious clouds; and “Huangshan in the Cave,” resembling the majestic and fantastical Huangshan Mountain. These “six wonders” are all named after single images.

Group-Image Scenery

Scenic spots named after “group images” include “Panoramic View of Myriad Phenomena,” the most spectacular sight in the largest hall of Taiji Cave, “Wanxiang Palace,” featuring a rich and varied collection of formations. “Taiji Murals” are found on the stone walls along the corridors of Taiji Cave, depicting scenes like gatherings of immortals, lion armies marching to battle, fierce combat, and trapped beasts struggling. “View from the Pot Sky,” showcases the wonders of stalactites in the “Pot Sky Palace” of Taiji Cave, with hanging formations in various poses. These “three wonders” are named after group images. An exception is “Dripping Water Penetrates Stone,” which is named after the cause of the small holes on a rabbit-shaped rock. This spectacle is also referenced in a persuasive essay titled “The Revelation of Dripping Water Penetrating Stone” in the ninth volume (fifth grade) of the Jiangsu Education Edition Chinese textbook.

Taiji Cliff

Taiji Cliff refers to the front mountain area of Shilong Mountain. It can be reached by taking a small path behind the Shixiang Temple or by walking westward along the stone steps from the cave exit. This area boasts blooming wildflowers and a rustic charm. Particularly noteworthy are the cliff inscriptions, which can be found everywhere, created by calligraphers from ancient and modern times. The inscriptions vary in font and content. Taiji Cliff stretches about 200 meters, offering scenic views at every step. Notable sites include Tianyou Pavilion, Yilan Pavilion, the Spot where Lü Meng Sunbathed His Books, the Site where Emperor Qianlong Played Chess, Yue Fei’s Sword-Testing Stone, Yue Fei’s Inscribed Cliff Record, Guanyin Rock, and the huge cliff-carved characters of “Four Wonders Under Heaven.” The full title of Yue Fei’s Cliff Inscription is “Inscription on the Wall of Jinsha Temple in Guangde Army,” recording how Yue Fei, filled with heroic aspiration during his military campaign, stopped at Jinsha Temple in Guangde, inscribed the wall to express his resolve. Jinsha Temple is located in Dongting Township, Guangde. The cliff inscriptions here are believed to have been moved and engraved here during the Ming Dynasty, holding considerable historical value. The four characters “Four Wonders Under Heaven” are each over a foot in size, bold and majestic, visible from afar.

Liangyi Palace

Liangyi Palace is the first large cave chamber encountered upon entering the cave. It is spacious and lofty, capable of accommodating thousands of people. On both sides are massive rocks, with the right side resembling a lion peak and the left an elephant peak, both imposing and majestic. The facing stone wall bears the inscription “Two Forms Divided,” written by Wu Tongchun, the magistrate of Guangde in the Ming Dynasty, hence the name. As stated in the “Book of Changes”: “Taiji gives rise to Two Forms, Two Forms give rise to Four Images, Four Images give rise to Eight Trigrams, and so on infinitely.” This aptly describes the karst structure of Taiji Cave — one cave splits into two, large caves enclose small ones, caves above and below each other, caves within caves, mountains inside caves, boating through caves, all interconnected.

Changle Park

Taiji Cave is also known as Changle Cave, and the newly expanded artificial garden outside the cave is thus named “Changle Park.” Covering an area of about 200 acres, the park includes newly built pavilions, corridors, and terraces spanning approximately 3,500 square meters. Construction began in March 1995, and it opened to visitors in October 1996. The lake scenery area of Taiji Cave is even more expansive.

Yunjing Palace

Entering the “Copper Pass” leads to Yunjing Palace, where there is an inscription by Wu Tongchun, the magistrate of Guangde, reading “Tongyun Biejing” (Same Cloud, Different Realm), from which the palace gets its name. A rare sight in Yunjing Palace is “Upside-Down Immortal Boat.” A massive rock nearly 100 meters long, resembling an upturned boat, hangs overhead, or like an artificially carved stone alley, deep and mysterious.

Ink-Washing Pool

In front of the cave entrance lies a naturally formed open valley, within which is an ink-washing pool, with a water surface area of about 18,000 square meters. Legend has it that Fan Zhongyan, a famous statesman of the Song Dynasty, washed his inkstone here after inscribing characters during his visit to Taiji Cave, hence the name. By the pool is a small island, with a stone stele by the water bearing Fan Zhongyan’s famous line: “Be the first to worry about the world’s troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures.” In the middle of the lake is another small island, with a stone stele bearing the characters “Ancient Ink-Washing Pool” on both its front and back, inscribed respectively by calligrapher Liu Yefeng and the late artist Ye Cun. Both islands are connected by curved bridges.

Pot Sky Palace

Pot Sky Palace is a crystal-clear, deep, and wondrous “underground stalactite museum,” where the stalactites are the most splendid and densely concentrated. The exterior scenery of Taiji Cave is picturesque, with numerous historical sites. Natural features include rolling mountains, wild bamboo forests, and villages alive with the sounds of chickens and dogs. Historical relics include the “Crouching Dragon Bridge” where Liu Xiu of the Eastern Han Dynasty sought refuge, the “General’s Platform” from which Lü Meng of the Three Kingdoms issued commands, the “Ink-Washing Pool” where Fan Zhongyan of the Northern Song Dynasty cleaned his inkstone, and the “Sword Gorge Stone” where Yue Fei of the Southern Song Dynasty declared his resolve.

Eight-Bend Isle

Eight-Bend Isle is primarily a water-based attraction, commonly known as the Water Cave. Visitors board boats to enter the underground river. This underground river is 750 meters long with eight large bends. As the water curves, the scenery shifts, and as the boat moves, the view changes — hence the name. Travelers on the boat feel as if they’ve entered a giant “water alley,” surrounded by massive karst formations, with bizarre stalactites protruding from crevices, sometimes requiring passengers to bend low to pass. The water here is crystal clear, revealing small attractions such as Galaxy Divine Lantern, Upside-Down Golden Bell, Galaxy Peony, Heavenly Gate Sluice, and Gold-Silver Beach.

Snow Grotto Palace

Ancient travelogues mention scenic spots named "Great Snow Grotto" and "Small Snow Grotto," located here, from which the Snow Grotto Palace derives its name. Aside from the "naturally white stone" Great and Small Snow Grottos, the most spectacular attraction of the Snow Grotto Palace is the "Twin Pagodas Piercing the Sky." Two towering stalagmite pagodas stand majestically side by side—one is 15 meters tall and the other 13 meters. Suspended in midair all around, they are perilously steep and unclimbable.

Jade Terrace Palace

The Jade Terrace Palace is spacious and lofty, with magnificent karst formations. The Jade Field and Salt Flat within the Jade Terrace Palace are also quite unique, along with attractions such as the Heavenly Lake and the Piercing the Sky Hall, making visitors feel almost as if they have reached the gates of the Heavenly Southern Paradise. The Jade Terrace Palace is spacious and lofty, with magnificent karst formations. One highlight is the "Golden Dragon Coiled Around the Jade Pillar." A jade pillar over two meters high rises from the ground, crystal clear and translucent. A golden dragon is coiled around the jade pillar, resembling a celestial gate pillar. While the "Dripping Water Penetrates Stone" in the Cloud Realm Palace is formed by years of constant dripping that creates a pool below, the "Golden Dragon Coiled Around the Jade Pillar" here is formed over hundreds of millions of years by the gradual accumulation of calcium carbonate, eventually creating the "jade pillar."

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Scenic Spots