The Scenic Gallery of the Roaring Wu River

The Scenic Gallery of the Roaring Wu River

What makes Yuqing County unique is the ceaselessly surging Wu River, which flows through the central part of the county, passing through six townships—Huashan, Goupitan, Dawujiang, Longjia, Aoxi, and Guanxing—covering a total length of 62 kilometers. It naturally connects over 40 stunning scenic spots on both banks.

- The border between the counties is at Jiangjie River. The Jiangjie River Ferry was one of the main crossing points where the Central Red Army broke through the Wu River during the Long March. Traveling four kilometers downstream by boat, you reach Binjiang Village in Huashan Miao Ethnic Township, Yuqing County. From here, you enter the fifth ecological tourism area planned by Yuqing County—the Dawujiang Ecotourism Zone. Stretching 18 kilometers in length and covering an area of 38 square kilometers, this zone features not only the dramatic peaks, peculiar rocks, waterfalls, and springs along the banks of the Wu River, but also natural attractions such as Zhuangyuan Bridge, Shijia Cave, Chaoyang Cave, Wanli Ethnic Culture, and the ancient woods at Huashan Middle School.

The Mysterious Shijia Cave

Shijia Cave is located 300 meters above the ground on a sheer cliff by the Wu River. It holds the secret of the remnants of Shi Dakai’s logistics troops from the Taiping Rebellion, who scattered after their defeat at the Dadu River and took refuge in the cave. Access to the cave requires boats, ropes, and other climbing equipment to hoist people up one by one. Upon reaching the cave entrance, you can’t see the sky above or the riverbank below, which sends chills down your spine.

Inside the cave, remnants such as wooden basins, stoves, earthenware pots, and cabinet lids can still be found. There are several inscriptions in the cave, among which the largest and most legible include phrases like “Peril unmatched under heaven, ten thousand taels of gold are worthless compared to a game of chess on the mountaintop, Chu Zi Yingyang Honglin Yongli Year 1.”

In 1989, a villager named Shi Yuanmi found a bronze “Nanming Commander’s Official Seal” beneath the trees at the cave entrance (now housed in the county cultural center), and others have found a silver bowl. Based on the inscriptions inside the cave and the relics found outside, it is certain that 350 years ago, officers and soldiers of the Southern Ming regime once lived in Shijia Cave. After the Goupitan Hydropower Station was filled with water, the cave entrance became directly accessible from the water surface.