The Cave of Immortals

The Cave of Immortals lies right at the foot of Mountain Dadong, the northern extension of Mountain Baotianman.

In a river valley where many steep cliffs are standing out, the Songhe River is flowing by before the cave. The entrance, several meters high, looks like a mouth of a titan in the wall. Into the entrance there is a stone hall so spacious as to hold several thousand people. The stalactites and stalagmites could be seen everywhere. Many minor caves connect with each other, making an impressive network. Once in the hall there were many statues of gods, among which 18 Arhats are the most famous. Around the edges of the hall are the caves leading to the inside. Climbing the walls, one may wind his way through other caves, halls and sky wells. A journey in this maze-like place gives one a lot of surprises and joys. The cave is also the place where numerous bats inhabit. As to the depth of the cave, there are no definite answers. The Nanzhao County Records, a book compiled in the Qing Dynasty, says there are caves inside the caves and the deeper one goes, the narrower it gets. Around one day's walk leads to many other caves under which the slowly flowing rivers could be heard, but not be seen. Then there is a big cave with a blue pool inside. The stones in the pool can’t be measured and the cold air around nips. A big log is spanning across the pool like a bridge, but no one dares to pass on it. Legend has it that there was once a beautiful maid, in order to cure his father's illness, coming to catch some shrimps and crabs in the Songhe River and got trapped in the cave. Enlightened by an immortal, she finally became a fairy and that's how the cave got its name.

Publishes at : 07-12-13 20:46

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