Shuiliandong Cave

　　Shuiliandong Cave is said to have been the dwelling place of the Monkey King when he was ordered by Guanyin to protect the mandarin ducks. In the past, when Zhang Chao, a martial arts scholar from Yiyang, was selecting the Eight Scenic Spots of Yiyang Village, he included the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall outside the cave as one of them — “Mist-Rising Waters.” It describes the waterfall’s waters cascading endlessly, misty and dreamlike. Standing beneath the waterfall, one sees a powerful rush of water that seems to descend from the heavens, evoking the feeling of a clear mountain stream flowing from the sky. A poem reads: “Amidst emerald green, snow-white waves fly; / The roaring torrent shakes the valley like thunder nearby. / Gazing up at the thousand-foot waterfall by the pool, / One wonders if it’s a dragon descending from verdant heights.” China originally had four famous Shuiliandong Caves — Huangguoshu, Lianyungang, Yandang Mountain, and Wuyi Mountain. Experts suggest adding the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall Shuiliandong Cave and ranking it as the foremost of the nation’s “Five Great Shuiliandong Caves.” The beautiful mythical legends intertwine naturally and harmoniously with the real landscape.

　　Looking down from the waterfall, the clouds roll and drift, resembling a group of fairies in white dresses laughing and playing as they float down from the heavens. The forest around the pool is lush and the scenery serene. On clear mornings until midday, sunlight paints a rainbow across the water, creating a magnificent scene. This single waterfall combines the grandeur of Yandang Mountain’s Dalongqiu Waterfall with the delicate beauty of Xiaolongqiu. When the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall has abundant water flow, its force is tremendous, forming just a single-tiered waterfall; in the dry season, it forms a three-tiered waterfall. There are fewer than 300 meters between it and the Qingdie Waterfall below, yet there are six more waterfalls in between. Both the Hundred-Zhang and Qingdie Waterfalls are over a hundred meters high, with a total drop of more than 300 meters. Only when you reach the Immortal Bridge can you fully take in its grandeur.