Huangzhu Dong

Useful Information

Location:	Guilin
Open:	no restrictions. [2008]
Fee:	free. [2008]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Huangzhu Dong.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Huangzhu Dong (Pearl-Returning Cave) is located on the southern side of Fubo Hill. This extraordinary karst tower is located right at the shore of the Li River, in the middle of Guilin city. The tower is 120 m long, 60 m wide and 213 m high. A path with steps leads to the top of the tower and offers a great view on the river and Guilin. The river flowing along one side of the vertical cliff created a huge cavern. The solitary peak was named after a simple fact: waves hitting the limestone are reflected, hence the name wave-subduing hill.

According to an legend Ma Yuan from the Han Dynasty, also called General Fubo, once passed by Guilin on a southern expedition. He poured all the pearls he carried into the river, so the hill was Fubo Hill in his memory. Inside the cave a rock named Sword-Testing Rock hangs from the ceiling and almost reaches the floor. The crevice at the bottom is said to be the result of General Fubo testing his sword on a pillar.

Another legend tells about a fisherman who once entered the cave. He found an old man sleeping with a pearl by his side. He stole the pearl and took it home. But when he was told that the pearl belonged to the Dragon king and that he would get angry, he returned it. Thats why the cave is called Pearl-Returning Cave.

At the end of the cave is a place called Thousand-Buddha Cave, where 250 Buddhist statues and more than 100 carved inscriptions of various periods cane be seen. Most of the statues originate from the Tang and Song dynasties.