Repair the Cave

　　Repair the Cave, shaped like a crouching tiger howling at the sky, is located at Shipokou in Yakou Village, east of Baixing Town. Originally the boundary between Huozhu Zexi and Longkua Zexi, with a branch of the Longkua clan living on the right side of the cave—their ruins still remain.

　　Here, mountains undulate, peaks rise tier upon tier, cliffs hang precariously, and jagged rocks are strewn about. Dazhongpo, with an elevation of

　　2152

　　meters, is the highest peak within Baixing, stretching southward from Guanyin Mountain in the northeast to Jiangjiayan, spanning a total length of

　　10

　　kilometers. In ancient times, this area was covered in forests, with rugged mountain paths and roaming tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves, as well as herds of roe deer, pheasants, rabbits, and deer. Unless you’ve been there yourself, you’d never believe such a unique cave exists atop these lofty mountains shrouded in white clouds.

　　In the 16th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty

　　(

　　1383

　　AD

　　),

　　Ma Ye, the Provincial Commander of Guizhou, provoked Lady She Xiang by having her whipped. He intended to incite a rebellion among the then-ruler of Shuixi, the Tusi, and then send troops to suppress them, with the goal of eliminating the lands of the Forty-Eight Tribes. Lady She Xiang saw through Ma Ye’s sinister plot, prioritized the greater good, endured humiliation, and prevented a revolt among the tribes. After returning to Shuixi, she took refuge by traveling via Wozhe through Longkua

　　(

　　Zhang Weipusa

　　)

　　to Nuoxicimayi

　　(

　　Baixing Town

　　),

　　seeking safety. Repair the Cave, nestled among towering mountains, was hidden and secure, and since both Longkua and Guizong managed grain and finances, supplies were not a concern. Lady She Xiang led her people to station inside the cave, where she strategized with her subordinates. Reflecting on the situation at the time, she lamented, “With no place to call home, I take refuge in Repair Cave and await tomorrow.” In the 17th year of the Hongwu reign

　　(

　　1384

　　AD

　　),

　　year

　　)

　　Upon receiving a letter from the Liu Shuzhen, the female Tusi of Shuidong, She Xiang returned to Shuixi City to appeal to the imperial court. Because She Xiang’s wife had built a high stone wall at Dongmen, later generations called it “Budong” (Patch Cave). During her stay at Budong, She Xiang had a post road constructed from Longkua, passing through Yanjiachong, Tangyikua, Shuigonghe,

　　Jiu

　　Wo, Daqing Yakou, Yangquan Road, Laojie, all the way to Nuoxi Mayi. The total length is

　　30

　　kilometers, and remnants of it can still be seen today.

　　Shiyakou is a rocky ridge situated immediately to the left of Budong, standing

　　7.5

　　meters tall. In March of the third year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty

　　(

　　1664

　　AD

　　), Wu Sangui marched his troops into Shuixi. After engaging in fierce battle with An Kun, the Xuanwei Envoy, at Azhatun in Shuicheng, An Kun retreated to Baini Tun. There, he established fortifications and checkpoints at the four main intersections to the east, south, west, and north, using the terrain’s natural defenses to resist the enemy. Budong served as a naturally fortified hideout for troops, and the adjacent Shiyakou was a strategic mountain pass to the east of the garrison. A fortress gate, known as Kamen, was built atop the pass. The Kamen gate was

　　)

　　When Wu Sangui advanced into Shuixi and engaged in fierce battle with the native chieftain An Kun at Azha Tun in Shuicheng, An Kun retreated to Baini Tun. He built fortifications and set up checkpoints at the four main roads leading east, south, west, and north, using the rugged terrain to resist the enemy. Budong is a naturally formed hiding place for troops, and the connected Shiyakou is a strategic pass to the east of the fort. A fortress, known as Kamen (Gate), was built on the pass. The Kamen stands high...

　　7

　　meters tall, with thick wooden planks serving as its doors, featuring a semi-circular arched opening with battlements on top. On both sides, walls were built following the undulating mountain terrain, reaching a height of

　　5

　　meters and a thickness of

　　1.5

　　meters. Constructed from blue stone, the structure resembled a “miniature Great Wall.” To the north, it connected to the Lanma Wall and the Gaotun sentry post, while to the south, it extended directly to Jiangjiayantou on the banks of the Nayong River. Additionally, Budong itself was reinforced—the original walls were demolished and rebuilt with three separate stone walls inside the cave, stretching from the cave entrance inward, spaced about 100 meters apart. Between the three walls were rectangular gated openings fitted with iron locks and clad in iron sheeting. Heavy military forces were stationed inside the cave, taking turns guarding the checkpoint.

　　A military camp was also built atop the cave, accessible only via a narrow stone stairway on the right rear side of the cave—so steep and narrow that it allowed passage for only one person at a time, making it extremely treacherous. The terrain around Budong Kamen is precipitous and highly defensible. Today, if you climb up to the camp atop Budong and gaze into the distance, you can take in the full view of the Nayong River, Shuicheng, as well as Niuchang and Tiegailiangzi in the Liuzhi Special District.

　　Budong is not only an ancient site but also boasts unique underground scenery within the cave. There are a total of 108 scenic spots of various sizes in the cave, among which the upper fork has two levels and the lower fork has three, both being particularly remarkable.

　　The upper fork extends northward straight to Guanyin Mountain. Entering the first level, you are greeted by a large sandy flatland with a sizable pond in the center. When a gentle breeze passes, ripples of greenish-blue waves appear on the water’s surface. On the right edge of the pond is a bluestone ridge adorned with

　　18

　　stalagmite pillars, the tallest of which stands

　　4

　　meters high, while the shorter ones are over

　　3

　　meters tall. Their heights vary, yet all have diameters of about

　　0.5

　　about one meter tall, resembling bamboo shoots, glowing white, forming the stone forest by the pool. Entering a rectangular stone gate and walking through a long

　　10

　　-meter-long small mountain cave leads to the second level. This level is a flat plateau, with a small pond in the middle of the plateau, approximately

　　10

　　meters in diameter. The water in the pond is emerald green, clear as a mirror, with ripples gently lapping, giving off a bone-chilling chill. If you toss a stone into it, it sounds like a zither being played, with the lingering echoes resonating within the cave incessantly.

　　The southern fork has an underground river that can be used for power generation.

　　First level: It is

　　70

　　meters high and

　　120

　　square meters wide, covered with round stones that shimmer with a pearl-like glow. On the right stone wall stands a

　　4

　　-meter-tall stone statue holding an umbrella in hand, dressed in a long robe with folds fluttering slightly in the breeze, vividly lifelike—resembling a grand painting of Chairman Mao going to Anyuan.

　　Second level: In the center of the flat ground is a circular platform with a diameter of

　　4

　　meters, featuring a

　　1

　　-meter-tall stone statue in the shape of an “elderly man,” with silver hair and beard, leaning slightly forward, and leaning on a cane. In front of the “elderly man” are two smaller stone statues, each

　　0.3

　　meters tall, wearing topknots, with hands clasped together like the God of Wealth, heads slightly bowed as if bowing to the “elderly man.” The figures are remarkably lifelike, depicting the scene of Children Paying Homage to the God of Longevity.

　　Third level: A stone beam formed by the solidification of magma along the mountain slope. The stalactites on the stone beam resemble a tiger, with distinct eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, and a vividly realistic head, rear, feet, and tail, crouching atop the stone beam as if ready to let out a roar—an astonishing sight.

　　Around the Bu Cave area, there are

　　53

　　hilltops, which are forest farms established by the Baoxing Town government after the reform and opening-up, covering an area of over four thousand mu, planted with

　　1.3

　　million poplar, pine, and fir trees, forming an artificially cultivated forest. The bamboo fences and thatched cottages of over

　　30

　　households in the Bu Cave villager group of Yakou Village are nestled among the lush green trees, surrounded by water and mountains, offering a tranquil and serene atmosphere.