Beijing's underground wonder world of eternal spring

If you are keen on spelaeology (the study of caves and other karst features), you will doubtless have heard of a cave in southwest Beijing known as Shihuadong. The so-called “Subterranean Pearl of Beijing” is well worth a visit even for those of us who are unfamiliar with this pursuit.

Shihuadong (Stone Flower Cave) is located in Nancheying Village in the magmatic national geological park of Fangshan District, about 50 km from downtown Beijing. Discovered in the year 1446, it is a seven-story water-eroded cave with a drop of 130 meters. At present, only the topmost four layers are open to the public, but they offer a 2,500-meter, almost two-hour touring route.

The cave, originally named Qianzhen, was discovered during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) by a Chinese monk called Yuan Guang. It covers an area of about 1.8 hectares, and contains 12 huge “halls” interconnected through numerous narrow passages with 16 “chambers” and 71 branch caves. The complex includes around 18 scenic areas and more than 120 different panoramas to enjoy from the vantage point of its 16 chambers.

The first chamber contains three large Buddha statues dating back to 1456, which means they were erected just 10 years after the cave was discovered. It was hence renamed Shifodong – Stone Buddha Cave – before being again renamed to reflect the abundant stone “flowers” on the cave floors.

The natural landscape inside Shihuadong is breathtaking. You lose track of how many stalactites and stalagmites there are that have been formed by mineral deposits (primarily calcium carbonate) in dripping water over the eons. (In case you get confused, the stalactites are the ones that hang from the ceiling and the stalagmites are the ones that grow up from the floor.)