奇梁洞

Qí liáng dòng - Qiliang Dong - Qiliang Cave


Useful Information

Location: Qiliangqiao Town.
5 km north of Fenghuang (Phoenix) Ancient City.
(27.9895706177, 109.5914535522)
Open: All year daily 8-17:30.
Last entry 17.
[2022]
Fee: Adults CNY 60.
[2022]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System LightColoured Light
Dimension:
Guided tours: D=2 h, L=6,000 m.
V=120,000/a [2020]
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Qiliang Dong, Phoenix Cultural Tourism Investment Stock Co. Ltd., Tax Bureau Compound (Dishuju Dayuan), 416200 Fen, Tel: +86-743-3502066, Fax: +86-743-3501065. E-mail:
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

奇梁洞 (Qiliang Dong) is a river cave, the river enters the cave through a 50 m high and 20 m wide portal. The path follows the river passage downstream. A huge stalagmite with a bread stalactite in the middle of the passage is a photo spot where visitors can get a picture of themselves standing on a balcony. There is a side passage on the left with a long stone staircase leading up. The passage widens and forms a huge chamber, the trail to the left and right is a round course leading up on the sides and connected at the far wall. There is also a passage straight ahead which ends after some time.

At the far end to the left a fossil passage with nice speleothems, which is called Paradise. A trail leads into the passage at the floor and another back high above near the ceiling. Back in the main hall the path follows the wall to another passage which is rather small, and called the 10 Mile Gallery. Beneath some exceptional speleothems it shows impressive erosional forms and resembles a gorge. It also shows impressive folds in the surrounding rock, which are a result of tectonics. The passage seems to be an older part of the show cave, the trail is smaller and has holes, sometimes it vanishes completely and visitors walk of the cave sediments, and there are numerous rather low spots which require stooping. At one point the passage is covered by a massive layer of flowstone and the visitors walk across the flowstone without a trail. This section is a cul-de-sac and visitors have to return the same way to the main chamber.

The cave may be visited on self-guided tours or with a cave guide, which has a sort of megaphone to address the visitors. They explain the "landscapes" but also local history, legends told about the cave, and the location of the toilets. Unlike most of the caves in China it was developed by a company, not by the government. The cave has about 6 km of trails and to visit the whole cave requires some physical fitness just for the long walk and the numerous staircases. Fortunately on self guided tours you can can can turn around when you get tired. Unlike other guided tours, the guides just walk along and explain, but people are not forced to stay with the tour. You are free to listen for some time or ask questions and then wander on your own.

According to legend Heche, the chief of the Tu people, started a rebellion against the feudal bureaucrats of the Qing dynasty. The imperial government sent an army which was lead by the three Yang brothers to put down the uprising. Heche defeated them with three magic weapons, the Zhuiming Drum, the Mihun Tambour and the Lotus Umbrella. But a traitor destroyed the weapons and without them the rebellion was doomed. The people fled into the cave, the entrance was defended by only 36 men, who killed 9,000 soldiers of the emperor. But in the end the warriors, the officers, and the chief were slaughtered, and the rebellion ended.