五峰长生洞

Wufeng Changsheng Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, Yichang, Hubei 443401. G351 to Wufeng, follow main road along the river through Wufeng south to the cave. (30.160799, 110.650708)
Open:	All year daily 8:30-17:30. [2025]
Fee:	Adults CNY 70. [2025]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent Coloured Light Son et Lumière
Dimension:	L=4 km, VR=300 m, A=680 m asl.
Guided tours:	L=1,500 m, D=1 h.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Wufeng Changsheng Cave, Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, Yichang, Hubei 443401, Tel: +86-717-5912555, Tel: +86-717-5915222.
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

2016	Wufeng Changsheng Cave Scenic Area renovated and upgraded.

Description

五峰长生洞 (Wufeng Changsheng Dong, Cave of Longevity in Wufeng) is located in the south of Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County. As there is another cave of the same name, Changsheng Dong, the name Wufeng was added to make clear which one is actually meant.

According to legend, Zhang Xianzhong, a general of the peasant uprising in the late Ming Dynasty, led his troops from Changsha to Sichuan. On the way, he passed by Changsheng Cave and deliberately rested in the cave for seven days. He felt greatly refreshed and exclaimed, "Seven days in the cave is like thousands of years in the real world." So the cave was named Cave of Longevity.

Another version is that Zhang Xianzhong, was the leader of the rebel army. On their way to Sichuan they were surrounded by soldiers and hid in this cave. Thus, it was named 藏身洞 (Cángshēn dòng, Hiding Cave).

The locals used the mountain spring water from inside the cave and corn to brew 土家老烧 (Tujia Lao Shao). It is a strong liquor which is very popular among the descendants of the Ba people. The Tujia Lao Shao can make people immortal after drinking it, hence the name.

The leader of the Ba State was named Linjun. He led his people to Wufeng and found a cave hidden in the cliffs. It was the rainy season, so the hungry and cold people planned to stay in this cave to rest. After Linjun led his people into the cave, two powerful and ferocious monsters appeared in the depths of the cave and bit people. In an instant, blood flowed into a river in the cave, which was horrible to watch. A large number of people were injured by the monsters, leaving red blood on the rock wall. So Linjun organized the male tribesmen to fight the monsters. The monsters turned into two dragons and fought with the tribesmen to the death. They suffered heavy casualties, but the two dragons were also seriously injured. Finally, Linjun used the treasure blue thread to tie the two evil dragons to the pillars in the hall, ended the fight. The battle between man and dragon was recorded on the rock wall. Linjun cast a spell to turn the deceased tribesmen into lotus flowers on the rock wall so that they could rest in peace. Then Linjun washed the dragon blood on his spear in the pool. The dragon blood in the pool water emitted colorful phosphorescence, which was then named the Five-Color Pool.

Linjun fell in love with the Saltwater Goddess. But he was responsibile for the tribe and could not let the entire tribe be trapped in Yanyang because of his own selfish desires. So he killed his beloved with his own hands! Because of his longing and guilt for the Saltwater Goddess, Linjun built a statue of the Saltwater Goddess in the cave to commemorate his lover. After Linjun died, his soul turned into a white tiger. To commemorate the great leader, the tribe took the white tiger as their ancestor god and called themselves the White Tiger. They left a white tiger totem on the stone slab.

The cave entrance is located in a rather narrow gorge, which is foggy most of the year. It is on the left or east bank of Tianchi River, only 2.5 km south of the county seat Wufeng. THe cave has three levels, the show cave is located in the middle level. It is more or less a huge chamber followed by a passage which is full of stalagmites. The cave also has numerous stalagnates or pillars, where the stalagmites and stalactites have met and grown together. The cave light is quite colourful, additionally there are projections like stars on the wall and a light show with laser.