Xuanyang Cave

Xuanyang Cave

Introduction

Xuanyang Cave is located at the foot of Huangniu Mountain, 9 kilometers northeast of Shanhaiguan in Qinhuangdao City. To the north of the cave stands the "Human Stone" overlooking the surrounding mountains, while to the south is the "Bell Stone," which appears to be hanging in midair. The cave is 14 meters high, 13 meters wide, and 37 meters deep, forming a grand hollow space. Originally, a three-story structure was built inside the cave, with shrines that once housed statues of deities, and at the back wall of the cave, a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha was sculpted, alongside the 18 Arhats. The walls on both sides of the cave feature numerous stone inscriptions. In addition to the poem stele “Xuanyang Cave” by Zhu Hongfan from the 30th year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty (1602), there are also inscriptions from the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty and the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty. On the upper left side of the cave, there is another cave, the depths of which contain a rock chamber accessible by dozens of large stone steps. Sunlight shines directly through crevices in the rocks into the chamber, illuminating the interior without revealing the sky above, creating the illusion of a sun suspended within the cave—an extraordinary and captivating sight. Passing through this chamber leads to another cave, inscribed with the characters “Shengjing” (Wonderland), where the sound of dripping water echoes. The mountain features layered caves and winding grottoes; the Shih River flows at the foot of the mountain before entering the sea. This is a scenic gem located near the “Third Pass” of the Great Wall.

  Qinhuangdao, Hebei