Emperor Cave

Emperor Cave

Emperor Cave

Emperor Cave Emperor Cave is nestled against mountains and beside water, with its entrance located right by the Nanyao River. Viewed from afar, it resembles a big water buffalo with its mouth open. The cave is approximately 60 meters wide, 130 meters deep, 25 meters high, and covers an area of about 7,800 square meters, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people. The floor of the cave is higher in the east and lower in the west, sloping gently to the south, and the pathways inside twist and turn. The main chamber is arched, flat, spacious, magnificent, and grand. As visitors step through the cave entrance, swarms of bats flutter inside, chirping and tweeting as if singing and laughing in welcome. The cave features a rich variety of stalactites and stalagmites—some resemble basins, plates, boards, pillars, knives, cones, pillows, and mats; others look like oxen, sheep, chickens, dogs, tigers, deer, dragons, and phoenixes; some resemble arhats, guardians, fairies, and celestial generals; while others resemble lotus flowers emerging from water, roosters standing atop their combs, or bamboo shoots stretching toward peach blossoms... They appear as if carved by hand, incredibly lifelike and growing more fascinating the longer you look. In the upper left corner of the main hall, a huge rock hangs mid-air, seemingly ready to fall and causing a thrill of suspense—but upon closer inspection, it is remarkably solid. Locals call it the "Golden Dragon Soaring in the Air." In the southeast part of the cave, there is a naturally formed 90-meter-long structure resembling a grand armchair. Two rows of stone guards stand on either side, and atop the chair sits a stone figure that closely resembles an emperor on his throne—hence the name Emperor Cave. At the back of the hall is the Imperial Palace Dragon Gate, featuring three horizontal rocks that strikingly resemble golden brocade hangings, decorative ribbons, and festooned banners, exuding extraordinary grandeur. Behind the gate stands a stone pillar supporting the cave ceiling, its surface intricately carved with patterns resembling dragons and phoenixes. At the top of the palace is a skylight-like opening, 2 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, which lets in beams of light, illuminating the cave with dazzling brilliance. Visitors can climb stone steps up through the skylight to the cave roof to enjoy views of the surrounding mountains, rice paddies, and ethnic Li villages. Inside the palace, the stone formations are stunning—a jade-colored canopy on a stone bed gleams white, adorned with floral patterns and surrounded by beadwork and jade. The cave walls are covered with limestone formations shaped like glass tubes, resembling silkworm cocoons. In some areas, stone flowers sprout like jets, resembling coral, lotus flowers, or clusters of blossoms—exquisite, translucent, and truly a rare natural wonder.

The magical Emperor Cave is a large limestone karst cave, primarily formed over centuries by the erosion of underground water flowing along soluble carbonate fissures. The cave remains cool in summer and warm in winter, offering a refreshing and unique experience for visitors. With the rapid development of Hainan’s tourism industry, the People’s Government of Changjiang County has continuously strengthened the protection of Emperor Cave and the construction of its tourism facilities, welcoming an ever-increasing stream of domestic and international tourists.

Location: Located at the foot of Wulei Ridge, by the Nanyao River in Yapu Village, Wangxia Township, in the southern part of Changjiang Li Autonomous County, over 60 kilometers from the county seat, Shilu Town.