下石院天坑

Xiashiyuan Tiankeng


Useful Information

Location:
(29.445456, 107.821286)
Open:
Fee: Adults CNY 120.
[2022]
Classification: KarstTiankeng
Light: n/a
Dimension: L=1,000 m, W=430 m, VR=373 m.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Xiashiyuan Tiankeng.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

APR-2016 Zhongshiyuan and Xiashiyuan merged into one scenic area.

Description

下石院天坑 (Xià shí yuàn tiān kēng, Xiashiyuan Tiankeng) is a huge doline or tiankeng. With a length of 1 km and a width of 400 m the surface of the floor is big enough for a village named 下石院 (Xià shí yuàn, Lower Stone Courtyard). Almost 20 families are said to live there for centuries. Nevertheless, the need to climb several hundred meter for anything, including going to school, shopping, or going to work, makes living there a bit strenuous. There is a trail but no road. The village was used as a filming location for a popular chinese TV series named 爸爸去哪 (Where's Dad Going).

Lately the site was transformed into a sort of folk museum or living museum. The Tujia people follow the ancient methods of weaving and farming, continue the marriage customs for thousands of years, and live in the characteristic hammock buildings. They also dance traditional folk dances, sing ancient mountain songs, and entertain visitors with well-preserved folk customs. Visitors have to walk to the village and can stay at the inn overnight, a sort of time travel experience.

The two huge tiankengs Zhongshiyuan and Xiashiyuan were merged in April 2016 into a new scenic Tiankeng Village scenic spot. They have one visitor center with ticket office for both. As we understood the ticket is also valid for both, although we are actually not sure why visitors should visit both of them, as they seem to be almost identical. Only the tiankeng is completely different, one is circular and seems to be the result of a collapse cavern, the other is elongated and probably the result of a collapsed passage.