善卷洞

Shanjuan Dong - Cave of Hidden Kindness

Useful Information

Location:	In Luoyang Hill, Zhuling Village, 25 km southwest of Yixing. (31.300841, 119.666758)
Open:	All year daily 8-16:30, last entry 15:30. [2023]
Fee:	Adults CNY 70, Children (<1.2 m) free. Combi Ticket: Adults CNY 130. [2023]
Classification:	Karst Cave Painted Cave
Light:	Incandescent Coloured Light
Dimension:	Ar=5,000 m², T=23 °C.
Guided tours:	V=400,000/a [2000]
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Shanjuan Dong, Jiangsu, Wuxi, Yixing 342, Tel: +86-510-8739-1169.
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

1956	declared a Historic Monument.
1982	declared a scenic spot of national importance.
2001	declared a AAAA scenic spot and the education base of minors.

Description

善卷洞 (Shanjuan Dong, Benevolent Scroll Cave) is named after the Shanjuan. This is a mystical tribe, which is said to have lived in this area between 722 and 481 BC. During spring and autumn they lived in the cave. It is locally known as the oldest historical site south of the Yangtze River. It is also sometimes called Cave of Hidden Kindness. Shanjuan Cave is located in Luo Hill in Zhuling Village.

The cave system has three levels which are developed as a show cave, in the typical chinese way with coloured neon lights. The cave is entered at the upper level. Upper Cave or Cloud Cave, is a huge chamber, 70 m long, 30 m wide, and 30 m high. As it has a temperature of 23 °C it is also called Warm Cave. The humid cave air creates fog, hence the name Cloud Cave. At the end of the cave the passage narrows and is almost blocked by a huge rock. As a result, the temperature drops, as outside air does not reach beyond this point.

A spiral staircase leads down to the Middle Cave. Another huge chamber with a floor of about 1,000 m², shows various poems painted on the walls in perfect calligraphy. The characteristic seal characters were made by Tao Hongjing from the Liang Dynasty. There are poems by Zhong Liquan and nine other poets of the Tang Dynasty. It is named Lion and Elephant Grand hall, and has stalagmites up to 7 m high.

The path descends to the lower level called Water Cave and the cave is left by boat. They are pulled by boat men on the underground river, which is 120 m long, up to 6 m wide, and 4.5 m deep. This tranquil boat trip is sometimes narrow with a low ceiling, and the exit, which is reached after 120 m, is called Sudden Light. Here the river flows into the cave, and before it does so, it falls down a 15 m high waterfall, right in front of the cave entrance. Visitors leaving the cave have to walk up a long staircase to reach the surface again.