Goddess Muluojia Gorge

Muluojia Goddess Gorge

Muluojia (米: meaning "mother" in the Zhuang language), the creator goddess in Zhuang mythology, is said to be either the wife or the mother of Buluotuo. In Chinese, she is also translated as "Muluojia" or "Muliujiа." The Muluojia Goddess Gorge in Liujia Town, Guangxi, is named after her. Legend has it that Muliujiа was a goddess who created the heavens, the earth, humans, and all things. With a breath, she blew upward to form the sky; when the sky developed cracks, she patched them with cotton, which became clouds. After creating the sky, she noticed it was too small to cover the vast earth, so she sewed the edges of the land together with needle and thread, then pulled the thread to shrink the land until the sky could cover it. Yet the land remained uneven, with wrinkles forming at the edges—what rose up became mountains, and what sank became rivers, lakes, and seas. Originally called the Liujia "Little Three Gorges," the Muluojia Goddess Gorge actually comprises more than three gorges. The first attraction greeting visitors is the majestic power station dam gorge. The Longjiang River bursts forth between towering, screen-like mountains, with steep, verdant cliffs on both sides. The river bends slightly, and the spectacular dam creates a striking white waterfall at the bottom of the gorge. Behind the waterfall, the mountains are dark blue, adding to the grandeur and solemnity of the scene. The overwhelming beauty of the gorge, combined with the awe-inspiring power of the dam, evokes the legendary figure of King Mo'a, earning this section the nickname "King Mo'a Gorge." At the boat dock, you reach the first gorge upstream from the dam—a breathtakingly beautiful one. Nestled between two lovely mountain ranges, the gorge opens into a calm, crystal-clear river surface spanning about 2 square kilometers. From the water to the gorge's crest, the height is around 400 meters, with a width of approximately 150 meters. The opposing cliffs are lush and emerald-green yet stand firmly upright, resembling graceful Zhuang girls singing love songs across the river—hence the name "Songstress Goddess Gorge." Rising from the water in front of the gorge is a solitary, cone-shaped peak about a hundred meters tall. It looks delicate and translucent against the cliffs, covered in lush green trees. When touched by the setting sun, the foliage glows with a golden hue, standing out vividly against the blue mountains and green waters—this hill is said to be the "chili pepper hill" scattered by Muluojia. Muluojia created humans from clay moistened with her urine. She went into the forest to gather many star fruits and chili peppers, scattering them among the flowers. The clay figures came to grab them—those who grabbed star fruits became women, while those who grabbed chili peppers became men. As the boat travels northward, the gorge stretches deep and long, with the Longjiang River narrowing into a thin line within the canyon. Along the way, the natural mountain shapes are ever-changing. After two kilometers, it becomes unclear whether the river turns left or right—this is a uniquely chilly and marvelous gorge. Looking back upstream, the left cliff is a sheer drop of limestone, extending vertically into the water like it were cut by a knife. The gorge itself appears as nothing more than a narrow slit—an extraordinarily magnificent sight. Another 10 kilometers upstream lies the uppermost gorge of Liujia. This gorge is gentle and serene, with the river widening, the mountains becoming lush and elegant, and the scenery of clear waters and graceful bamboo creating a tender, motherly beauty—aptly named the "Muluojia Gorge."

It is said that Muluojia stood atop the mountain peak in this gorge to create humans, using her urine to moisten the land. The origin of human creation by Muluojia is recorded by the flowing Longjiang River, which still rushes on to this day. Between the "Muluojia Gorge" and the "Buluotuo Gorge," the landscape grows even more enchanting. Here, one can sense the divine aura of the realms of heaven, earth, and water, as well as the presence of the "Goddess Mountain." These three realms are especially captivating in this section of the scenic area, with ever-changing mountain forms and crystal-clear, rippling waters. After passing the "Buluotuo Gorge" by about a hundred meters, one can look up to see a pair of delicate, beautiful breasts in the sky. The goddess Muluojia is depicted lying on her back on the earth, facing the sky with closed eyes, her 400-meter-long hair cascading straight down into the river—this is the "Goddess Mountain." One breast is larger than the other. It is said the larger one was used to nurse the daughter who picked star fruits; the gentle Little Muluojia didn’t eat much and thus grew quickly. The smaller breast was for the son who picked chili peppers; Buluotuo was strong and drank voraciously, causing that breast to remain smaller. On the cliff halfway up the "Goddess Mountain" is a unique cave of breathtaking beauty. Legend says this cave holds the scriptures and songs of Muluojia. These texts state that Buluotuo is the son of Muluojia.