Zhongfeng Cave

Zhongfeng Cave

Zhongfeng Cave is the most famous one, also known as Foguang Cave. It has been hailed as the “No. 1 Cave Under Heaven” by Professor Zhu Xuewen, president of the China Karst Cave Association. Boasting geological formations of shale, sandstone, and limestone, and combining grandeur, beauty, danger, elegance, wonder, and serenity, it is praised as a rare “underground karst museum.” It’s called so because it features cave-within-cave structures, with dawn light shining through and Buddhist light radiating brightly. The name Zhongfeng Cave, however, comes from a unique historical figure. That figure is Jianwen Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who abdicated from the throne. When Jianwen Emperor spent “forty desolate years in the southwest,” did he really visit Zhongfeng Cave? The answer remains shrouded in mystery.

Zhongfeng Cave has 36 branch caves, many of which have highly distinctive entrances. One of them is shaped remarkably like a “high-heeled shoe” — when standing inside the cave and looking out, the outline of the entrance resembles a giant women’s leather high-heel.