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Shiyanbei Village, Xiaonanhai Town, Longyou County, Quzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
A mysterious ancient grotto group with many secrets to be found
The Longyou Caves, also known as Longyou Grottoes, are a remarkable and mysterious set of ancient, man-made caves located in Longyou County, Zhejiang Province, China. The caves are remarkable for their large, high ceilings, intricate architectural designs and symmetry. These caves are considered one of the most fascinating archaeological and architectural wonders in the world due to their scale, construction, and mysterious origins. The Longyou Caves are not particularly well-known internationally but has become a subject of increasing interest among historians, archaeologists, and tourists in recent years.
Despite modern efforts to uncover their secrets, the Longyou Caves remain one of the most enigmatic ancient sites in China. With no surviving written records or inscriptions to tell their story, the origin and purpose of the caves continue to fascinate scholars and visitors alike. Their sheer scale, impressive construction, and the mysteries that still surround them have made them a significant cultural and historical treasure.
The Longyou Caves were discovered accidentally discovered in 1992 by local farmers. A massive, hidden underground complex was found at Longyou.
Cave 1 is less than 400 square meters, with a volume of about 4,000 cubic meters, which is the smallest cave in the open caves. However, it is thought to be with the highest research value among the caves currently developed because the stone carving pattern above the Cave 1 wall is the only animal pattern that can be clearly identified in the grottoes, namely, horse, bird and fish. These are three kinds of animals from land, air and water. It is the most precious complete relic found in Longyou Grottoes so far, and the information it reflects is still being deeply studied by relevant experts.
Cave 2 is the earliest cave discovered and excavated in Longyou Grottoes. Before Cave 2 was discovered, villagers once caught a big fish weighing 8 kilograms in it. Cave 2 is the largest of the five open caves at present, with an area of about 1100 square meters, beautiful, exquisite and magnificent.
The Cave 3 has an area of 852 square meters, and the cave body is in the shape of 7. From the perspective of spatial layout, some experts suggest that the use of Longyou Grottoes may be the tombs or palaces of ancient kings. But for some reason, these palaces or tombs are not used, or some of the caves that have not yet been developed are used.
Cave 4 is currently the deepest one among the 5 open grottoes, with an area of 1,020 square meters and a depth of 27 meters. The entrance of Grotto 4 is small. And you may wonder that how ancient people lightening to complete such a large amount of work.
The purpose of the Longyou Caves remains shrouded in mystery. Several theories have been proposed, but none are universally accepted.
Water Storage or Reservoirs: Some believe the caves could have been used as underground water storage, possibly for agricultural or regional use.
Religious or Ceremonial: Others suggest the caves might have had a religious or ceremonial purpose, with some of the carvings possibly representing symbolic or spiritual themes.
Royal or Elite Use: Some researchers propose that the caves could have been private underground palaces or dwellings for the elite, though no direct evidence has been found to support this theory.
Military or Strategic Use: Another theory is that the caves were used for military purposes, possibly as hiding or storage places during times of war.
Water Transportation and Irrigation: Given the nearby rivers and valleys, it’s also suggested that they might have been used as part of irrigation systems or water management.
Dating the Longyou Caves has been challenging. Estimates vary, but most experts suggest the caves were constructed during the Tang Dynasty(618-907 AD) or the Song Dynasty(960-1279 AD). However, some argue that the caves could be much older.
Despite modern archaeological methods, there is no definitive evidence pinpointing when the caves were created, and their construction remains a subject of debate.
Archaeologists and engineers continue to study the caves, using modern techniques such as 3D scanning and geophysical surveys to better understand their origins and construction.
Researchers are also investigating the geological aspects of the site, trying to understand how the caves were able to remain structurally sound for so long despite being carved out of relatively soft sandstone.
To Get to Longyou Caves, you can take the high-speed train to the Longyou Station, then take the taxi to the Longyou Caves.
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