Mingxia Ancient Cave

Mingxia Ancient Cave

Mingxia Ancient Cave is one of the scenic tourist areas in Qingyuan and also a historical cultural relic. It is located in the picturesque Zhangcangkeng area of Binjiang Jingkou, covering an area of about 1,200 acres. There is nearly five kilometers of Binjiang River surface in front of the cave, featuring lush mountains and beautiful waters, offering stunning scenery.

It is a sacred Taoist site that is “mysterious and profound” and where “a thousand Buddhas converge.” The Qing Dynasty’s Jiaqing 3rd Year (1646) Qingyuan Annals states: “Longmen Square,” “Yumen Square,” and “Linhangan Gorge” are the entrances to Binjiang, marked with inscriptions such as “Cloud Road Initial Tablet” and “Source of a Single Raft.” Mingxia Immortal Hall was built on a burial ground historically known as “Pork Liver Hanging Gallbladder,” which has nearly a thousand years of history. From the terrace, one can overlook the caves surrounded by verdant peaks. The Qinglian First-Class Highway and National Highway 107 are bustling day and night, while the sandwiched Jingkou Reservoir sparkles with clear blue waves. A uniquely shaped hill resembles a reclining qilin (Chinese unicorn), its plump tail lying flat to guard the mountain gate. Looking ahead, layers of brushstroke-like peaks stack up, and the rising sun heralds a truly majestic and spiritual natural sightseeing and leisure destination.

Nestled against the mountain and by the water, it spans 80 hectares of mountainous land. Within the scenic area, visitors can admire ancient architectural culture, including “Mingxia Immortal Hall,” “Hall of the Three Teachings’ Sacred Truths,” “Guanyu Hall,” “Guanyin Hall,” “Report Benevolence Ancestral Hall,” “Anle Residence,” “Lüzu Deity Statue,” “Kṣitigarbha,” along with memorial plaques for filial descendants to honor their ancestors. These halls are situated deep within lush forests that bloom all year round. The annual fasting ritual gathering from the first to the seventh day of the seventh lunar month has been revived here. With incense burning year-round, it embodies harmonious wishes for favorable weather, peace under heaven, and national prosperity.

Currently, there are over 300 disciples and more than 30 resident Taoist nuns, managed by disciples dispatched from Feixia Ancient Cave. At the foot of the mountain, Zhu Ruzhen, the second-place scholar of China’s last imperial dynasty, inscribed “Dengying Bridge.” Amid greenery lie “Dengying Pavilion,” “Ancient Cave Plaque,” “River-Watching Pavilion,” the naturally clear and bottom-visible “Natural Swimming Pool,” “Minghuan Swimming Pool,” “Xiayue,” and “Happy,” where fountains shoot skyward, waterwheels generate power, and more than 400 goldfish-shaped structures can be found.

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The swimming pools are all enveloped in mist. During the swimming season, bathing here is refreshingly invigorating. The poolside is equipped with barbecues. Enjoy delicious food and sip the “Longevity Water” as you make your way to the “Rain Cloud Pavilion” amidst the forest path to recall poetic inspiration. When autumn nights arrive, the fragrance of osmanthus fills the air, immersing you in nature’s embrace. To the west lies the ancient and rustic city gate at the cave entrance mountain gate, nestled beneath the undulating Qin Emperor Mountains, awaiting reconstruction. The nursing and rest hall houses the drinking water source “Heaven-Opened Stone,” along with spectacular sights such as the “Natural Waterfall Water Curtain Cave” and “Monkey King Mountain.” An over 43,000 m² square is set to host various entertainment and cultural service facilities. Currently, only a 3.6-kilometer mountain-looping “scenic belt” in a rudimentary layout allows you to spend the whole day immersed in a romantic, festive, auspicious, and refreshing life amid pristine nature.

Visiting Mingxia Ancient Cave is extremely convenient. Mingxia Ancient Cave Company operates direct tourist buses from Qingcheng, and minibuses run daily through the Binjiang area. Both options take less than 20 minutes to reach Mingxia Ancient Cave.