Nanzheng Xiaonanhai Scenic Area

　　Xiaonanhai, a radiant pearl nestled on the northern slopes of the Micang–Daba Mountains, lies beneath Qingshiguan Pass, 10 kilometers south of Mijiaba in Nanzheng County. Surrounded by towering mountains and overlapping ridges, with crisscrossing valleys, hidden undercurrents, and lush pine and cypress trees that cast deep shade over the land, the temple sits in a mountain hollow. It was first built in the 47th year of the Wanli era (1619 AD) during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, and the natural scenic area spans as much as 10 square kilometers.

　　The cave entrance is roughly level with the river valley surface. A few dozen feet into the cave, the atmosphere turns eerie and awe-inspiring. By the light of torches, one can faintly see a pool beneath their feet, wider at the front and narrower at the back, covering an area of over 3 mu — this is the source of what was anciently called the Pool Water (now known as Cold Water). The water’s surface ripples gently and emits a tinkling sound. The water maintains a constant temperature of 9°C year-round, giving off a sensation of warmth in winter and coolness in summer. Along the right bank of the pool, iron railings about 660 meters long have been installed to prevent people from falling into the water. Further along the railings, there is a stone path, initially about 1 meter wide, which narrows the deeper you go, interspersed with streams that flow intermittently. Echoes reverberate, sometimes resembling the sounds of bells and drums, other times like thunder. The cave ceiling and cliffs are adorned with stalactites and stalagmites, unevenly clustered together, some resembling Buddha statues, lifelike in appearance. Exploring along the cave walls for several miles eventually leads to an impassable point. The Cold Water River outside the cave flows out from this very cave — anciently referred to as Pool Water, likely for this reason. In earlier years, monks built a three-arch rainbow bridge at the cave entrance and constructed a Guanyin Temple atop it, with flowing water cascading down like rolling pearls, ceaselessly throughout the year. Inside the cave, there is a pool resembling a small sea, and outside, there stands a statue of the Goddess of Mercy, hence the name Xiaonanhai (Little South Sea). The halls, pavilions, and monasteries, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, feature crimson tiles and white walls, with flying eaves and upturned roof corners, all set amidst ancient trees and the calls of pine winds and cranes. In the past, during the second, sixth, and ninth months of each year, ladies and gentlemen from various counties in Hanzhong would come in groups to burn incense and tour the area.

　　In the late Qing Dynasty, during the Guangxu reign, the emperor bestowed a plaque inscribed with the words “Broadcasting Moisture to Heaven and Earth,” praising the outstanding landscape of this place. Many visitors in the past left poetic inscriptions here. Wang Xingjian, the county magistrate during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, wrote the poem “Ode to Xiaonanhai”: “Through winding paths and piercing clouds I come step by step, turning at the brook bridge where dust settles. Amidst the silence of endless green, the sound of bells passes by; towering cliffs of a thousand ren open up. Dragons in the cave depths peer at the Buddhist visage, while rain and wind before the rocks guard the incense platform. Ascending, I’m tempted to embrace the thought of renouncing the world, wishing to join the mountain monks in forming a spiritual fellowship.”

　　Xie Shengping, a scholar from Sichuan in the late Qing Dynasty, wrote the “Seven-Character regulated verse on Xiaonanhai”: “The sea has sources, boundless and hard to exhaust, not knowing to which source it truly connects. At the foot of the mountain, a great hole suddenly opens, and the seawater then gushes forth from within. The mountain rises high and the waters surge mightily, with clouds swirling and waves churning, as if white dragons take flight. A white dragon leaps fifty zhang high, angrily stirring up mountain after mountain at the sea gate.”

　　Guanyin Cave, situated at the bottom of the Xiaonanhai Valley between two mountains, is interconnected with the Great Buddha Cave, the Nine-Dragon Cave, and the Fish Cave. It contains underground rivers, layered cliffs, unique stalactites and stalagmites, the Dragon Palace Jade Hall, the Sea-Calming Divine Needle, the Golden Lotus Stone Waterfall, the Ancient Stone Harp’s Sound, the Sky Ladder Plank Path, and a hundred other wondrous sights.

　　The mysterious and miraculous Guanyin Cave, over 100 meters high, is as vast as a grand hall. There are caves within caves, with a stunning scene at every step. The river valley inside the cave is over ten meters deep, with wide sections resembling lakes and narrow ones only allowing the passage of small tourist boats. The emerald-green river water resembles a giant dragon meandering through the cave valley. Boating through the cave sea feels like traveling spiritually through the “Little Three Gorges.” By ascending the water sky ladder, you will reach the incredibly marvelous Dragon Palace Imperial Hall — this deep-seated palace within the heart of the karst cave has a ceiling that looks like a series of ancient castles strung together. Countless stone pillars and stalagmites of varying shapes, sizes, and colors hang from the air or stand upright on the ground, appearing especially mysterious and resplendent under the light. Walking along the artificially carved plank path, amidst layered cliffs, massive stalactite waterfalls, a golden, columnar stalactite suddenly comes into view, like a huge golden needle plunged into the cave floor. Legend says the “Divine Needle Calming the Sea” turned this vast ocean into land, and thus the name Xiaonanhai originated.

　　Guanyin Cave is unfathomably deep; locals call it the Black Hole. For a long time, no one could venture deep inside. Geological experts have unveiled its mystery: 190 million years ago, Xiaonanhai’s Guanyin Cave was once part of the ocean. Over vast periods, powerful tectonic movements pushed it above the surface, and nature’s master craftsmanship created this rare karst cave wonder. The cave structure is made of limestone, carbonate rock, and dolomite, with its stratigraphic sequence and geological cross-section offering significant research value. It is hailed as an underground “Karst Geological Museum.”

　　Guanyin Cave is located in the Xiaonanhai Scenic Area of Nanzheng County, 35 kilometers from Hanzhong City, a famous historical and cultural city in China. Visiting Guanyin Cave allows you to witness its miraculously heavenly caves, bathe in the divine glow of the sea-bottom temple, and converse with hundred-million-year-old geological culture, providing infinite wonder and endless joy. Each visit leaves you enthralled and reluctant to leave.

　　Scenic Area Address: Mid-section of Hongjun Road, 20 kilometers south of Nanzheng County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province