Peach Blossom Cave

Peach Blossom Cave

Peach Blossom Cave is situated on a hill in Shangsong Village, Caochang Township, ninety li north of Fenyi County. The cave entrance is slightly smaller than Yan Song Cave, about four to five meters high and six to seven meters wide. The interior is just as spacious and open as Yan Song Cave. The stalactites on the ceiling and walls, with their diverse and captivating shapes, remain undamaged and are enhanced by the interplay of light and shadow, making them much more beautiful than those in Yan Song Cave. The parts of the cave frequently explored by visitors extend about two hundred meters deep, divided into upper, lower, and right sections. At the far end of the cave, there are numerous smaller caves, but how deep these extend or the total length of the cave system remains unknown. According to two local village officials, no one seems to have measured it, so its full extent is unclear. However, it is said that the cave connects all the way to Moshan Mountain in Shanggao County. This is also recorded in the *Fenyi County Annals*, though I find this claim both plausible and doubtful. It might be true because the cave is close to Shanggao, aligned with Moshan, and the air inside remains cool and moist year-round, with misty vapor spraying like fog. Behind the Chongfu Temple on Jiufeng Mountain in Shanggao, there is a continuous spring flow that runs year-round, which could contribute to the cave’s humidity and mist. On the other hand, it might not be true because the water flow inside the cave tends to be stronger during the day, gushing clearly, but gradually diminishes afterward, leaving only a damp floor and swirling mist. If the cave truly connected to the springs of Jiufeng Mountain, wouldn’t the water flow inside be more consistent?

Entering the upper cave through the main entrance, you’ll walk about fifty to sixty meters. The space is open in all directions, similar to the first chamber of Yan Song Cave. At the junction between the upper and lower caves, there are rocks and stalactites arranged in a horizontal line, leaving only two openings on either side, resembling an indigo screen or the “Xiaoyang” (screen wall) inside Yan Song Cave. The difference is that along the upper edge of the entrance, there is a folded stalactite curtain that looks like a bed drape or a theater backdrop, immediately creating a sense of entering a magical realm. Then, a 45-degree slope winds down about two or three zhang (approximately six to nine meters) to the cave floor. In front of the screen, there are two rocks standing opposite each other, about two meters high—resembling the stone lions or elephants guarding the sacred path of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing, or two elders whispering and greeting visitors. The most unique feature, which I’ve never seen in any other cave I’ve visited, is the misty vapor seeping from the two cave openings on either side of the screen. It drifts out in wisps and strands, as if hesitating or lingering, wandering and dispersing at the entrance. Being there feels like stepping into the fairy isle of Penglai, where one might imagine immortals like Lü Dongbin, He Xiangu, or Tieguai Li emerging gracefully through the cave openings, riding the clouds and mist.

Entering the lower cave through the right opening of the screen, you’ll find it about three zhang (approximately nine meters) lower than the upper cave, darker and more profound. The cave is filled with uniquely shaped and colorful stalactites, resembling scenes such as Jiang Taigong fishing, Guan Yu reading the Spring and Autumn Annals, Wu Song fighting Jiang Men Shen, a bountiful harvest of melons and vegetables, or a noblewoman hanging herself—though these are all just fanciful interpretations. Beside the cave entrance, a trail of grayish-white stone powder seeps from a crack in the rock, mixed with many shiny, glittering particles. Could this indicate the presence of silver ore here, or something else? Geologists might want to take a look. At the back of the cave, on the stone wall, there is a stone curtain formed by brown stalactites, beneath which sits a platform with a flat, small stone resembling Zhuge Liang in his feathered cap and robe. In front of the platform, there is an oval-shaped white stalactite about two meters high, covered with countless straight, staggered stripes that divide it into small white stone blocks, each an inch or so tall and a few millimeters wide. These blocks are intricately linked, sparkling beautifully. When viewed together with the brown stone curtain, it creates a magnificent golden and white picture. Beneath the opposite stone wall, there is another small cave with an entrance about a foot high and a few inches wide. Peering inside, you’ll see a cluster of small stones of varying heights, some standing upright and others leaning—resembling the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, which adds a playful charm.

Particularly distinctive are the “stone fields” along the left wall at the back of the cave. There are over ten of these fields, ranging from seven or eight chi (approximately two to three meters) in the larger ones to just a few inches in the smaller ones. They are polygonal, with edges formed by twisted magma resembling lotus leaf rims, about a fen (a small unit of measurement) thick. The bottoms of the fields are flat, like cobblestone paths smoothed with cement. Are these natural wonders crafted by heaven or shaped by some supernatural force? While similar stone fields can be found in other caves, none are as beautiful as these, and none have as many. For example, the nearly four-kilometer-long Nielong Cave in Pingxiang only has one such field. This is truly a rare spectacle. Not only do people marvel at this wonder, but it has also become a place for locals to predict and pray for longevity and a bountiful harvest. Village officials told us that every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, men and women from nearby villages come to explore the cave. Dressed in new and colorful clothes, they bring food to set off firecrackers on the “stone fields,” praying for prosperity in livestock and a plentiful harvest. They also observe whether there is water in the stone fields—if there is, it’s considered a sign of a good harvest. The right cave, aligned horizontally with the upper cave, is about ten meters lower. On one side of the cave, a rock juts out and slopes downward, forming a cliff about seven or eight zhang (approximately twenty-one to twenty-four meters) high. At the edge of the cliff’s top, a rock rises, which locals liken to a mother tiger carrying a cub on its back, looking down into the rocky ravine—a vivid comparison. As for the ravine itself, due to the darkness and slippery mud, no one has ventured there yet, so we’ll leave that unexplored for now.

Above the cave entrance, on the stone wall, are carved four large characters in regular script in the style of Liu Gongquan: “Peach Blossom Ancient Cave” (桃源古洞), each character over a foot tall. Why is this cave called “Peach Blossom”? It’s said that Tao Yuanming’s *The Peach Blossom Spring* was inspired by this very cave. Therefore, Xu Xiake, a geographer and traveler from the late Ming Dynasty, once visited and studied this cave. Undoubtedly, this is an attempt by enthusiasts to elevate the cave’s status. Peach Blossom Cave is indeed an ancient cave that was developed relatively early, as evidenced by the following two poems. In the second year of the Baoyou era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1254 AD), Chen Langdian wrote the following poem about the cave:

After the people of Qin sought refuge in Peach Blossom, another Peach Blossom emerged in the land of Chu.

Throughout the ages, it remains a relic, with fishermen’s songs and woodcutters’ chants echoing under the setting sun.

No fallen petals can be seen before my eyes, but the fragrance of flowing water drifts through the air.

I try to cup the cold spring water to rinse my mouth and cheeks, wishing to swallow the jade-like fragments to inspire poetry.

The Yuan Dynasty literary figure Fan Deji wrote:

Heaven’s craftsmanship carved the chaos, and the earth’s cavity revealed the peaks.

The yang energy changes even in winter’s cold, while the yin wind brings chill in June’s heat.

Immortal breezes bring deer, and divine beings guard the coiled dragons.

Ancient traces hang on the cliffs, their inscriptions faded with time.

The phrase “throughout the ages, it remains a relic” confirms that Peach Blossom Cave was developed before 1254 AD. Fan’s mention of “ancient traces on the cliffs, their inscriptions faded with time” refers to the poems engraved on the stone walls above the cave entrance, which have become blurred and illegible due to years of weathering, with many characters appearing as if they were scraped or gouged away. This also indicates the long history of the cave’s development. Indeed, very few of those inscriptions remain legible. That day, we spent nearly an hour deciphering them, managing to recognize only about twenty characters through guesswork. There’s no doubt that Peach Blossom Cave was developed early—dating back at least seven hundred years to the time of Chen Langdian’s visit.

Caochang Township: Located at the northern tip of Fenyi County, bordering Yichun to the west and Shanggao to the north, Caochang Township is 43 kilometers from the county seat. It has an agricultural population of 17,119 people, comprising 4,884 households, and governs 13 administrative villages, covering a total area of 89.84 square kilometers. Currently, the full paving of oil roads is nearing completion, significantly improving transportation conditions. The area not only has fertile soil and abundant produce but also boasts many natural landscapes, such as the “Turtle Stone” in Tangxi, the “Hemuhua Cave” and “Lingnan Cave” in Xidai, and the famous “Peach Blossom Cave” in Shangsong.

In recent years, the Caochang Township Party Committee... Caochang Township detailed information++