Luocongyan

Luocongyan

Tian Nan Fu Di Lucongyan

Luocongyan is located in the karst residual hills scattered along the front edge of the Lotus Mountain Range. It lies about 8 kilometers southeast of Baishaxu by the Yu River and 35 kilometers from the county town, within the area of Sijian Village. Rising from the plains spanning five to six square kilometers are nine rocky hills, among which one stands 70 meters tall, approximately 350 meters long, and 80 meters wide...

Luocongyan contains ancient human cave site remains. In 1980, cultural relics and archaeology workers from the autonomous region and the county discovered a large number of sand-tempered pottery shards, polished shouldered stone axes, snail-laminated layers, animal bones, and wild boar teeth in the caves. These findings indicate that humans lived here for an extended period during the Neolithic Age, around six to seven thousand years ago. Near Longyan, a small cave still retains a fairly distinct cultural layer where archaeologists have collected stone tools, pottery fragments, and snail shells, now housed in the county museum.

Luocongyan became a scenic attraction during the Huangyou era of the Song Dynasty (1049–1054). At that time, Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao traveled from Luoyang to Gongzhou (now Pingnan County) to visit their father and, together with their teacher Zhou Dunyi, “toured the scenic spots of Xun Prefecture.” They once built a dwelling here to live, study, and teach. Later generations erected the Temple of the Three Masters Zhou and Cheng on the site of their former residence, though the temple no longer exists, the lime-rock foundation walls remain. In the tenth year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1637), Xu Xiake made a special trip to visit and explore Luocongyan, documenting it in his Travel Notes on Guangxi.

The mountain of Luocongyan is riddled with caves, featuring interconnected passageways and oddly shaped stalactites. Notable ones include Fengyan (Wind Cave), Heiyan (Black Cave), Yueyan (Moon Cave), and Shuiyan (Water Cave).

Fengyan

Also known as Zhengyan (Main Cave). At the entrance of the cave, characters reading “Tian Nan Fu Di” (Heavenly Southern Blessed Land) are carved into the stone wall. In Taoist tradition, there are “Thirty-Six Heavenly Caves and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands” where immortals reside, and Luocongyan is one of the seventy-two. Upon entering the cave, a cool breeze greets you, hence the name Wind Cave. The cavern hall is 10 meters wide and 40 meters deep, able to accommodate two to three hundred people at rest. Originally, there were large Buddha statues and the Eighteen Arhats inside the hall, but they are no longer present. At the end of the cave is a small round opening leading outside, allowing sunlight to stream in, resembling a bright moon shining upon visitors—this is the origin of the scenic sight “Luocongyan Moon.”

Heiyan

Turning right at the end of Fengyan leads to Heiyan. Visitors exploring Heiyan should prepare torches or flashlights in advance. The cave passages twist and turn, undulating up and down, with countless stalactites lining the sides in strange and varied shapes, forming unique sights such as Immortal’s Bed, Longevity Buddha’s Chair, Monk Reciting Scriptures, Stone Lion, and Stone Tiger. At the end of the cave is a round chamber inhabited by numerous bats. When visitors enter, the startled bats flutter their wings, creating a sound like rushing rapids—an extraordinary spectacle.

Yueyan

Also called Shuiyueyan (Water Moon Cave), it is located west of Fengyan. The cave resembles a lion’s open mouth, sloping from the outside in. Vines and creepers cling to the upper and side entrances. Below lies a pool of clear spring water with fish visible swimming about. The cave is about one mu (approximately 667 square meters) wide, yet reportedly no strongman has ever managed to throw a stone from outside the entrance into the cave interior. The cave ceiling bears inscriptions of the “Fairy Music Song,” visible when looking up.