Tongren Jiulong Cave

Tongren Jiulong Cave

Jiulong Cave is one of the first ten scenic spots designated in Guizhou Province. It is located on the mountainside of Guanyin Mountain, to the right of Malong Stream, 17 kilometers east of Tongren city. The mountain features rugged cliffs, a majestic and precipitous landscape, and lush bamboo covering the slopes, creating a dense sea of green. It stands against the even higher “Liulong Mountain” and faces the picturesque Jinjiang River, setting a magnificent backdrop for Jiulong Cave. Legend has it that there were six yellow dragons on Liulong Mountain who invited three green dragons from the Jinjiang River to meet in the cave. When the nine dragons arrived and saw this paradise-like cavern, their greed took over as each wanted to claim the cave for themselves, leading to an endless dispute. By the time the rooster crowed and dawn broke, none could return to their original dwellings and were forced to perch on a giant colorful pillar deep inside the cave, never able to leave again. There is a small stream at the foot of the mountain; due to the constant noise and chaos caused by the dragons fighting over the cave, the locals continuously cursed the dragons, which led to the names “Nine Dragons Coiled Around the Pillar” and “Stream of Cursing the Dragons.” Hence, the name “Jiulong Cave” came into being.

Jiulong Cave is vast and grand, measuring over 70 meters in width, reaching up to about 100 meters at its broadest point, and varying in height between 30 to 70 meters. The explored section of the cave is 2,258 meters long, with a total area of approximately 70,000 square meters. Inside the cave, there are seven main chambers, three of which—comprising a total of 12 scenic areas—are open to visitors. There are hundreds of stone pillars and stalagmites alone, including eight pillars over 30 meters tall, six over 20 meters, and eighteen over 10 meters.