At the foot of Lion Mountain lies the shimmering Longgong Reservoir, stretching from high to low with a majestic presence. The mountain top is round and protruding, suddenly dropping off into sheer cliffs near the summit, then leveling out midway before plunging down again, resembling a lion’s head in vivid detail. The lion’s head is adorned with densely packed, smooth rocks like buns on a lion’s head. Wild banana leaves rustle in the wind, mimicking the lion’s mane. Even more astonishing are the stalactites hanging upside down around the lion’s mouth, resembling lion teeth. A waterfall over ten zhang (approximately 30 meters) high cascades from the lion’s mouth with a thunderous roar. Splashing water droplets create wisps of mist, giving off a cool sensation from afar, making one feel as if they are “watching the tide with the mighty lion.” This misty waterfall is called “Nine Dragons Spewing Mist.”
On the side of Lion Mountain stands a temple called Jiulong Temple, behind which lies the cave known as Jiulong Palace. The cave entrance is blocked by massive rocks, allowing only one person to crawl through at a time. Inside the cave, a clear spring flows constantly, producing a tinkling sound. It never dries up even in droughts and feeds into the Longgong Reservoir.
The entrance of Jiulong Palace is about 10 meters high, flanked by giant rocks forming a sharp, pointed arch. Descending slowly down the 81 stone steps, carved and laid by predecessors, the electric lights grow increasingly dim, and the cave gradually widens. The tunnel winds along with stalactites lining the sides, creating various formations such as “Silver Elephant Emerging from the Cave,” “Dragon Shedding Its Skin,” “Reclining Buddha Bathing,” and “Monkey Offering Fruit”—all crafted as if by supernatural hands, lifelike and vivid. Inside the cave, there is an “Oil Pool” and a “Salt Sea.” Legend says that in ancient times, oil would emerge from the Oil Pool and salt from the Salt Sea, providing food for monks meditating here and devout worshippers from all around. The amounts produced matched the number of people—more people meant more supply, fewer people meant less, always just right. Later, a greedy monk tried to extract more salt to sell for money by secretly enlarging the openings. The dragon became enraged and stopped the flow of both oil and salt, leaving only a dried-up “Oil Pool” and a tasteless “Salt Sea” as a warning against greed.
After walking about a hundred meters, there is a fish-shaped pool resembling a carp, with an opening on the outside and a hollow inside, about a foot deep. The edges are decorated with beautiful patterns. A string of clear water droplets falls drop by drop onto the fish’s eye from a stalactite shaped like a small snake. The fish’s eye seems to blink, causing ripples in the water—it looks as if the carp is alive and leaping. This sight is called “Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate.”
Jiulong Cave consists of interconnected chambers and nested grottos. The spacious areas can hold a thousand people, while the narrowest passages allow only a single person to squeeze through sideways. Legend says the main cave has nine levels, with countless branches, not only connected to the nearby Guanyin Cave but also linked to the Dragon Palace Cave in Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province.
Guanyin Cave is less than 500 meters from Jiulong Cave. Its entrance is flat, with green vines hanging down like a curtain. Sunlight streams in through the entrance, illuminating the dense cluster of stalactites hanging upside down from the ceiling, resembling a luxurious hall filled with colorful lighting fixtures. A “Buddha’s Hand” over two feet long stretches out with slender, well-formed fingers, as if pointing the way for lost souls. Stalagmites grow densely around the cave, interlocking like jagged teeth. The cave walls feature billowing cloud-like formations layered upon layers. The stalactites at the back of the cave take on countless shapes: majestic mountains, serene utopias, fierce lions and tigers, flowers, grasses, and insects. In front of the “Guanyin’s Seat” stands the “Jade Pillar Holding Up the Sky”; inside the “Penglai Pavilion” is the “Fairy Mountain Cloud Bridge.” Jiulong Palace alone offers a myriad of wonders. Just in terms of its extraordinary rock formations, some resemble a shepherd boy playing the flute, others a general reining in his horse, a scholar reading at night, or a maiden lost in thought. This naturally formed artistic palace stirs the imagination and leaves visitors in awe.
This article is published by HowToTrip. Sharing and reposting are welcome — please credit the source.
Article URL: https://www.howtotrip.net/travel-13433