Hongyang Cave

Hongyang Cave

Hongyang Cave is located on the mountainside of the seventh peak of Yuanling. It earned the name "Hongyang Cave" because Ge Hong, a renowned physician and one of the founders of Taoism during the Jin Dynasty, along with Lou Yang, practiced Taoism and alchemy here to heal the sick. It is also called "Yan Song Cave" because Yan Song, a grand secretary of the Ming Dynasty, once studied diligently in the cave.

The cave entrance is semicircular, 20 meters high and wide, and the cave stretches 4 kilometers in length. The cave winds and twists, at times resembling a narrow alley in an old market, barely wide enough for a single person to pass through, and at other times opening up into a domed hall so spacious it can accommodate a thousand people. There are caves within caves, large ones enclosing smaller ones, all interconnected, forming an underground maze. The cave is filled with a dazzling array of stalagmites, stalactites, stone curtains, stone pillars, stone flowers, and stone towers—truly a breathtaking sight. The surfaces of the stalactites are smooth and glossy, their shapes peculiar, vivid, and lifelike. Being inside feels like entering a sculpture garden. Though they appear man-made, they are entirely natural, leaving one in awe of nature’s creative power.

The cave is full of a rich variety of stalagmites, stalactites, stone curtains, stone pillars, stone flowers, and stone towers—absolutely stunning. The stalactites feature unique shapes, vivid forms, and lifelike appearances. Being inside feels like stepping into a sculpture garden, leaving visitors marveling at the wonders of nature.

Hongyang Cave has enjoyed a reputation as a historic and scenic wonder since ancient times due to its deep and intricately shaped limestone karst cave. Legend has it that Ge Hong and Lou Yang, two famous Taoists from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, once lived and cultivated themselves here, practicing Taoism and refining elixirs, hence the name Hongyang Cave.

The cave features a rich variety of landscapes in diverse forms. The first cave is a stone chamber that can hold about a hundred people. The second cave gradually descends, with the towering “Pillar of Heaven and Earth,” also known as the Sky-Supporting Pillar, at its center. Other formations include Hanging Jade, Cloud Rock, Fighting Light, and Five Cloud Rock.

Admission Fee

25 RMB

Opening Hours

8:00 – 17:00

Location

Southern foot of the third peak of Yuanling, Yushui District, Xinyu City, Jiangxi Province