Xiwangmao Cave

Xiwangmao Cave

Located about 15 kilometers southeast of the county town, on the cliffs halfway up the mountain in Guangxian Cave Valley of Xiwangmao Village Fort. This cave is the largest limestone karst cave in North China. Its depth is unfathomable, and preliminary explorations have covered over 10 kilometers. The cave floor is rugged, featuring caves within caves, interconnected passages, and chambers within chambers — some spacious enough for horses to pass, others narrow enough for goats to squeeze through. It remains warm in winter and cool in summer, making it an ideal tourist destination that combines hiking, exploration, and summer retreat. The entire cave resembles an underwater labyrinth. Some red rocks glow like candles, others are as white as jade; some resemble rare birds and beasts, while others look like human footprints. The formations are crystal clear and strikingly colorful. There are blue and green pearl-like "agates," the "snow lotus" from icy peaks, and "sky-supporting pillars" standing like white jade forests. There's the classic and rustic "Roman Castle," the Bodhisattva Guanyin of the - Sacred Ancestor, and folkloric scenes like the "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" and "Sun Wukong’s Birth." You’ll find the Cowherd and Weaver Girl "gazing at each other across a sea of jade," "rain falling on mandarin ducks," "the princess and the beggar," and "grapes" that are mouthwatering. The "voluptuous breast stone" is mesmerizing, while "the golden ox emerging from the cave," "the green snake rising through the mist," "the snake playing with the golden toad," "the turtle emerging from its bath," "the eagle spreading its wings," "snow weighing down the green pine," "the sea lion drinking the moon," and "Pigsy welcoming guests" are all vividly lifelike. Even more fantastical are the "Palace of the Nine Heavens Fairies" and "Laojun’s Alchemy Furnace," which stir the desire to ascend to immortality. The "Sincerity Bell" can test one’s honesty — those with pure hearts will make it ring loudly upon touch. The cave contains dozens of springs. Their water tastes sweet and free of bitterness, and is rich in dozens of minerals beneficial to human health, offering certain therapeutic effects for myocardial infarction, skin diseases, various gastric ailments, and hair loss. Legend has it that ancient medicine kings who practiced medicine in the Dongyuan area often came to this cave to fetch water for decocting medicine, hence the cave’s water is also called Medicine King Spring.