Puzhuang River Nature Reserve

　　  Puzhuang River Nature Reserve is located in the Puzhuang River area of Zhengxing Town, over 60 kilometers from the county seat and about 50 kilometers from Pu'er. It is a historic Dai Theravada Buddhist pilgrimage site and also a scenic karst landscape area. The reserve is conveniently located near the Minning Highway, with the river flowing from east to west into the Xiaohei River. The waters of Puzhuang River are crystal clear year-round, winding through emerald pools, flanked by embracing mountains. Exposed limestone cliffs rise steeply like grand halls, creating an extraordinary atmosphere. Some are adorned with delicate stalactites hanging like sculptures or carvings, resembling palace gardens with ornate railings—quiet, elegant, or like colorful silk and satin, light and graceful... The mountains are covered with lush green trees and vines, swaying gently. Various fish and shrimp swim in the waters, while the pebbles on the riverbanks are colorful and lovely, making them hard to put down.

　　  The scenic area currently has over 30 explored caves, scattered across an area of approximately 24 square kilometers, forming a unique natural cave cluster. Among them, the Camphor Tree Cave, Fairy Cave, Conscience Cave, Flower Fairy Cave, and Great Immortal Cave are the most famous. The stalactites in these caves are marvelously shaped, presenting a thousand different forms—some like terraced fields, some like a sleeping maiden, some like blooming lotuses, some like a mother and child embracing... The strategically placed stone tables, stools, and candlesticks are exquisitely crafted, as if intentionally arranged by immortals.

　　  The Flower Fairy Cave is just about twenty meters from the riverbank. On the right side of the cave entrance, there is a hot spring on the riverbank. The water is warm, and visitors can scoop up a handful to wash their faces, washing away the fatigue of the day. Upon entering the cave, one is greeted by stalactite-formed stone pillars, stalagmites, and stone flowers... vibrant and dazzling. Following the winding cave path, one alternately enters spacious halls and then unexpectedly stumbles into perilous, rugged areas. Another mile deeper, the cave floor accumulates water, uneven and dotted with stone "dragons" about one or two inches high, lying horizontally or vertically, forming crisscrossing channels and terraced fields reminiscent of mountain villages. Truly, a "farming paradise within the cave."

　　  The Immortal Cave is located on a mountain over 1,800 meters above sea level. The cave entrance is spacious, and descending about ten meters via stone steps leads into a grand hall about three zhang (approximately 10 meters) high and four or five zhang (approximately 13–16 meters) wide. According to the Buddhist scripture *Diuhun*, this cave was where the Buddha, Shakyamuni, stayed during his travels through this region. Here, after subduing the demon "Erluofu," and during the Vassa (Buddhist lent period) when monks were not allowed to travel, the Buddha meditated and recited scriptures in the cave for 90 days. Hence, it came to be known as the "Immortal Cave." To this day, numerous domestic and international devotees visit annually to worship and pray.

　　  Around the Immortal Cave, there are more than ten other large and small caves scattered in all directions. The Flower Fairy Cave is located about ten meters below and to the left of the Immortal Cave, in a very precipitous location. Inside, the layered rocks create a deep, fantastical, and magnificent environment. In some parts of the cave, even flashlights cannot reach the ceiling or the bottom. This cave is incredibly beautiful, with water-soaked limestone formations that take on a thousand shapes—resembling bodhisattvas, dragons and tigers, snails, bamboo shoots, grapes, curtains... enchanting the heart like honey, as if one were in a fairyland.

　　  Throughout the river valley, scenery abounds at every step—majestic, elegant, serene, and mysterious—leaving visitors in awe and reluctant to leave. "The land is as enchanting as fate allows, and flowers and willows offer their beauty without reservation." The affectionate Puzhuang River of Zhengxing Mengnai reveals her charming allure to all without concealment.