Meishan Dragon Palace

　　Meishan Dragon Palace is connected to the Nine Dragons Peak and Nine Dragons Pool of Mount Daxiong. Legend has it that when the Yellow Emperor ascended Mount Xiong, he transformed the lush and spiritually rich Nine Dragons Peak into nine green dragons, which then swam through nine springs into the Nine Dragons Pool—linked to all major rivers and lakes. The nine dragons, enchanted by the scenery and spiritual aura of Zique Bay along the Zishui River in Meishan’s Youxi area, were so delighted they swam in the water, soared through the clouds, and danced in the caves, unwilling to leave for thousands of years. As the ancient region was called Meishan, later generations named this cave the Meishan Dragon Palace.

　　The cave features a multi-tiered spatial structure, with uniquely shaped and diverse combinations of chambers, both above and below water. It consists of four main cave levels and eight passage tiers, with a total tunnel length of 2,276.1 meters. This includes an underground river (854.5 meters), upper dry cave (1,076.4 meters), collapsed hall (225.2 meters), and side passages (120.0 meters). The cave passages generally range from 6 to 20 meters in width and

　　20 to 100 meters in height. The total floor area of the cave bottom spans 22,000 square meters.

　　From the underground river to the upper corridor, from spacious halls to staggered smaller chambers, and from flat pathways along the main cave to winding walkways along the cave walls—the varying elevations, surreal transformations, and layered spatial features are strikingly prominent.

　　The cave boasts a rich array of formations, including a vast and widely distributed collection of flowstone landscapes, breathtaking stalagmites and stalactites, as well as ever-changing fracture shapes and erosional micro-forms.

　　The cave is safe and stable. Experts have confirmed that after hundreds of thousands of years of natural structural adjustments, except for the collapsed hall (currently closed to the public), the cave ceiling now rests on thick, reliable rock layers with strong load-bearing capacity. Additionally, the cave enjoys excellent ventilation and fresh air. Professor Zhu Xuewen, President of the China Cave Research Association, describes it as “the No. 1 cave in Hunan, top-class in China, and world-class in advancement.”

　　Currently, 1,455.3 meters of the cave are open to tourists, featuring seven scenic sections: Nine Dragons Greeting Guests, Dragons Roaring in the Waves, Azure Water Lotus Palace, Dragons Soaring in the Sky, Heavenly Dragon Palace, Paradise Pavilion, and Dragon & Phoenix in Harmony. The full tour takes approximately 90–100 minutes.