Qinglong Golden Cave Scenic Area

Qinglong Golden Cave Scenic Area

The Golden Cave is located in Shishangou Village, Liangshuihe Township — known as the "Little Tibet" — of Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County, Qinhuangdao City. It lies deep in the mountains, more than 30 kilometers southwest of the county seat. The scenic area borders Lulong to the east, Qian'an to the south, Qianxi to the west, and Kuancheng to the north. Locals humorously call it a place where “a single rooster’s crow can be heard in four counties.” Surrounded by mountains and blessed with beautiful scenery, it is a tourist destination that is “naturally gorgeous yet hidden away like a maiden yet to be discovered.” The cave was discovered many years ago during gold mining; it is said that both Koreans and Japanese had previously extracted considerable amounts of gold ore from there. While digging tunnels along the long caverns hidden within the mountain, the miners stumbled upon numerous karst caves of various sizes, filled with uniquely shaped, colorful stalactites.

To date, seven levels have been explored, spanning over 4,000 meters in length and covering a total area of more than 50,000 square meters. Inside the cave is a rich deposit — for years referred to by gold prospectors as a gold mine tunnel — that still retains a distinct gold ore vein with grades ranging between 20 to 200 grams per ton. Discovered by tourism experts, it has been named the “Golden Cave” tourist attraction. The Qinglong Golden Cave in Qinhuangdao is the largest known karst cave system in the Yanshan Mountain Range to date. Located along the Great Wall in Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County, in the eastern section of the Yanshan Mountains in Hebei Province, it consists of a cave group made up of more than 10 limestone caves, boasting significant scientific and aesthetic value.

The entrances of these caves are about 10 square meters each, with depths varying from several dozen meters. Formed around 1.6 to 1.7 billion years ago during the Paleoarchean era, the caves were shaped by successive orogenies and erosion during periods of high water flow, resulting in deep cave structures. Inside, the karst formations — including stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, flowers, and columns — are richly diverse and dazzling. From a geological perspective, they formed earlier than other known cave sites in China.

Within the cave are nearly 100 attractions, including the Welcome Hall, Turtle Greeter, Heavenly Gift, Golden Ox Welcoming Guests, Buddha’s Scripture Cave, Roc Spreading Its Wings, Fortune and Prosperity Stone, Eighteen Arhats, Love Stone, Rooster Announcing Dawn, Immortal Watching the Waterfall, Crocodile Playing with a Column, Ma Liang’s Magic Brush, Peacock Displaying Its Feathers, Romantic Immortals Strolling, Stone Forest Cave, Immortal’s Abode Cave, Conch Blowing to the Sky, Adding Glory to Beauty, Pillar Reaching the Heavens, Underwater World, Heaven on Earth, Immortal Viewing Cave, A Slit of Sky, Water Curtain Cave, Phoenix Spreading Its Wings, Imperial Harem Canopy, Mother and Child Stones, Royal Guards’ Sword, Laughing Maitreya Buddha, and Dragon Bestowing Blessings. These splendid, exquisitely transparent landscapes appear even more magical under the illumination of the golden ore veins and countless colorful lights, leaving visitors in awe.

Transportation Guide

Scenic Area Address: Shishangou Village, Liangshuihe Township, Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province

By Bus: Take a bus from Qinglong to Liangshuihe, then rent a vehicle from Liangshuihe to reach Shishangou Village and the scenic area.