Yiyang Jiulong Cave

Yiyang Jiulong Cave

Jiulong Cave is situated on the mountainside of Banpo Mountain in the southwestern part of Yiyang County, 7 kilometers northwest of Baiyang Town and 12 kilometers southeast of the county seat. It is a natural limestone karst cave. Legend has it that the Dragon Mother gave birth to her nine twins here. To this day, a grand temple fair is held annually on the third day of the third lunar month, attracting tens of thousands of worshippers from near and far who come to offer incense and fulfill vows, praying to the Nine Dragons Holy Mother for favorable weather, happiness, and peace. The cave runs from east to west and then northwest, stretching about 500 meters in length, and features a stone slab bridge and a statue of the Nine Dragons Holy Mother inside. The cave is damp, deep, winding, and rugged, with fantastical scenery — a natural wonderland for adventurous explorers.

Six meters into the cave from the entrance, there is a sudden constriction, the opening about the size of a washbasin. To pass through, visitors must slide in feet first, then lie back and slowly shimmy along the ground — a section nicknamed “Crossing the Saddle Bridge” by tourists. About a hundred meters further in, the cave suddenly opens up into a resting area. Here, looking up at the cave ceiling, one can see tiny gaps that twinkle like stars. Another ten meters in, you’ll need to carefully climb along the cave walls to cross the “Dragon Well.” In earlier times, the Dragon Well was much deeper, but years of water erosion have caused sediment buildup, leaving it only about one meter deep today. After passing the Dragon Well, you’re about to encounter the “Nine Dragons Holy Mother.” Legend says that to meet the Holy Mother, one must slide into a purification pool, roughly one square meter in size. About 200 meters further ahead, the Jiulong Pool — spanning several acres in size — comes into view. The pool water is dark green, crystal-clear, and deep, with a chilling temperature. Throwing a stone into the water produces a thunderous sound. Inside the cave, there are many water stains and formations, with stalagmites rising from the cave floor and countless stalactites hanging from the ceiling in diverse and fascinating shapes. If you swim across, you’ll find a natural stone statue of the “Nine Dragons Holy Mother” about two meters to the right, resting peacefully and serenely.

Jiulong Cave still holds many unsolved mysteries that are both perplexing and captivating. Questions such as when the cave was discovered, the true story behind the legend of the Nine Dragons Holy Mother giving birth to nine dragons, how deep and large the cave actually is, how many levels it has, where the underground water flows to, whether it connects to a rear cave dozens of miles away, how many undiscovered caves remain, what the annual cave-cleaning ritual entails, and what the golden scripture in the cave signifies — all these mysteries continue to draw more people to explore and uncover the secrets.

Thirty-some stone steps to the right of the cave entrance, about 20 meters away, lead to the Temple of the Nine Dragons Holy Mother. Opposite the temple is Shicheng Mountain, whose peak soars into the clouds. An ancient stone fortress still stands atop the mountain, while the Temple of the Patriarch appears and disappears amid the mist, creating a picturesque scene where the sky, mountains, clear waters, and lush trees blend harmoniously. The original cave entrance was built with bricks. During the Qing Dynasty, an ornate pavilion with carved pillars and upturned eaves was constructed at the entrance, with the inscription “Jiulong Holy Mother Cave” facing outward. Today, only two stone steles remain: one is the “Prayer for Rain at Jiulong Cave Miraculous Response Stele,” erected in the 43rd year of the Ming Wanli era (1615); the other is the “Record of the Pavilion Construction at Jiulong Cave” stele, built in the 9th year of the Qing Xianfeng era (1859).