Biyun Cave

Biyun Cave

Biyun Cave

Biyun Cave is located to the south of the ancient city of Panxian. It is a natural karst cave and a member of the International Show Caves Association. The cave stretches 6.5 kilometers in length, with three streams converging into it, hence also known as the “Water Cave.” Biyun Cave features three unique passageways: one enters through an underground tunnel, another allows light to stream in from a skylight-like opening, and the third serves as an exhaust vent for airflow. The Ming Dynasty’s *Tongyi Zhi* (Comprehensive Gazetteer) refers to it as

“the Number One Wonder of Puan Prefecture.” The cave scenery is divided into water and dry sections. The water cave has both an entrance and an exit, over 10 kilometers apart, with an underground river running through them and exiting via the wind cave into the Nanbanqiao River. Entering from the inlet to Lvyintang, the cave extends about 1.5 kilometers, with widths of 20–50 meters and heights of 30–150 meters. It features the “Four Wonders of the Cave” recorded by Xu Xiake: the “Hanging Dragon’s Spine,” “Eighteen Dragon Fields,” “Snake Shedding Its Skin,” and “Lion in a Crouching Pose.” A local tradition of “playing at the Water Cave” is observed on the 23rd day of the first lunar month.