Zhijin Cave is located in Guanzhai Miao Township, Zhijin County, Guizhou Province, about 120 kilometers from the provincial capital, Guiyang. The beauty of Zhijin Cave truly surpasses imagination, deserving to be called both magical and stunning. It’s hard to believe that such a mysterious treasure trove lies beneath an ordinary-looking mountain.
The cave complex features numerous scenic areas, including the Reception Hall, Lecture Hall, Snow Fragrance Palace, Longevity Star Palace, Moon Palace, Lingxiao Hall, Ten Thousand Mountains, Pagoda Forest Cave, Golden Mouse Palace, Mountain View Lake, and Water Village. It boasts over 40 halls and more than 150 scenic spots.
The largest cave hall covers an impressive area of over 30,000 square meters. Inside, visitors encounter various peculiarly shaped stone pillars, curtains, and flowers, creating unique landscapes that make one feel as if they’ve entered a fantastical world from mythology. These features form a diverse array of karst landscapes. The cave passages intersect in a maze-like pattern, with stone peaks scattered throughout, interspersed with flowing water, intermittent ponds, and underground lakes. Zhijin Cave has earned the titles “Karst Gem” and “Cave Wonder.”
The stunning karst topography highlights Zhijin Cave’s grandeur. Visitors will find themselves surrounded by scenes that embody various aesthetic concepts. Each landscape within Zhijin Cave is both visually striking and spiritually evocative, transcending the ordinary and inspiring awe. Some notable sights include the majestic “Underground Pagoda Forest,” the ethereal “Iron Mountain Mist,” the boundless “Silent Mountains,” the cascading “Hundred-Foot Curtain,” the profound “Moon Palace,” the mysterious “Lingxiao Hall,” the bold and upright “Silver Rain Tree,” the delicate “Curled Stone,” and lifelike formations such as “Samantabhadra Riding an Elephant” and “Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law’s Deep Affection.” These grand vistas and intimate scenes leave visitors astounded and in awe.
The beauty of Zhijin Cave far exceeds what can be conveyed through a simple list of aesthetic terms or a collection of artistic treasures in a museum. To truly appreciate the beauty of these individual landscapes, one must experience them within the context of the cave’s overall spatial grandeur. Zhijin Cave is destined to immerse visitors in a breathtaking aesthetic experience.
The entrance to Zhijin Cave resembles the exaggerated mouth of a giant monster, swallowing all the beauty into its belly.
Zhijin Cave has been ranked as the top among “China’s Six Most Beautiful Tourist Caves,” and National Geographic has dubbed it the “King of Chinese Caves.” Located in a subtropical humid monsoon climate zone in the upper reaches of the Wujiang River valley, Zhijin Cave was formed by tectonic movements that caused uplift of the land block and river incision into the soluble rock, resulting in a high-elevation dry solutional cave. Geologically, it formed approximately 500,000 years ago, spanning from the late Early Pleistocene to the Middle-Late Pleistocene. Due to its complex geological structure, the cave exhibits well-developed features with multiple patterns, stages, and types. Renowned geomorphologist Williams has called it “a world-class karst landscape.”
According to expert surveys and comparisons, Zhijin Cave surpasses the world-renowned caves in France and Yugoslavia in terms of scale, variety of formations, and scenic effects, making it even more magnificent and beautiful.
The walking paths inside the cave wind and twist, with stone steps rising and falling. Huge rocks stand on both sides, creating an atmosphere that makes visitors feel as if they’ve entered a fantastical world from mythology.
The rounded stalagmites appear to be naturally formed without any artificial intervention.
In the Reception Hall, the most impressive feature is the lifelike hanging “pipa” (a Chinese lute) formation.
The Moon Palace is 400 meters long, over 100 meters wide, and more than 70 meters high, covering an area of over 50,000 square meters. Mountains rise steeply on all sides, with a wide flat area between them and an underground lake stretching across. There’s a 60-meter-high “Suoluo Tree” covered with thousands of stone lingzhi mushrooms, a 17-meter-high “Tyrant’s Helmet” resembling an ancient warrior’s headgear, a 50-meter-high stone Buddha standing majestically, and a 17-meter-high “Silver Rain Tree” that stands gracefully, white and gleaming.
The 17-meter-high “Tyrant’s Helmet” is the cave’s crown jewel, strikingly similar to an ancient warrior’s helmet in its realistic form.
The “Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Stone” formation is vivid and lifelike.
In the Longevity Palace, there are three large stone pillars formed by karst deposits, ranging from 10 to 20 meters high. They resemble the three stars of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity, known as the “Three Stars Gathering.” This formation is 350,000 years old. As visitors move through the cave, each hall presents a unique feature, and although progress is slow, there’s always something new to see.
The Ten Thousand Mountains area covers over 70,000 square meters, with the widest part reaching 175 meters and the highest point at 150 meters. The terrain inside is undulating with numerous stone peaks, resembling layer upon layer of mountains often shrouded in mist. There are golden pagoda mountains, jade tree forests, and a tall spiral stone pillar called the “Spiral Tree.” This is the most spectacular scenic spot in the cave.
Travel Tips:
- By Air: To reach Zhijin Cave, fly to Guiyang Airport first, then take a train or bus to Zhijin Cave.
- By High-Speed Rail: Similarly, take the high-speed rail to Guiyang, then transfer to a train or bus to Zhijin Cave.
- By Train: From Guiyang, take a train to Zhijin Railway Station. Walk to the bus stop opposite the station and wait for the special bus to Zhijin Cave. The fare is 10 yuan.
By Bus:
- Guiyang to Zhijin Cave: Daily buses depart from Guiyang’s First Auto Service Station (46 Yan’an West Road) to Zhijin. The fare is 64 yuan. Get off at Sanjia, near Zhijin, then take a motorized tricycle or hire a car to the scenic area.
- Zhijin County to Zhijin Cave: If staying in the county, wait for the special bus to Zhijin Cave at bus stops along North Street. Alternatively, take a taxi to the scenic area for about 50 yuan.
Accommodation:
There are two options:
- Stay near Zhijin Cave Scenic Area, with Zhijin Cave Hotel being a larger option. It’s close to the cave entrance (about 1 km), allowing you to avoid peak crowds. Prices are reasonable, and food is convenient.
- Stay in Zhijin County for more hotel and dining options, plus the opportunity to explore county attractions.
Cave Tour Precautions:
- Maintain good physical condition for the lengthy tour.
- Photography is allowed, but avoid touching fragile sedimentary rocks for better shots.
- Smoking is strictly prohibited to prevent damage to stalactites from carbon dioxide.
- The cave is cool and humid; wear long sleeves and pants for warmth.
- Cave floors can be slippery; be cautious and consider using a walking stick, especially for older visitors.
