Grottes et karsts de Chine
Sur les traces de Xu Xiake

On the RHS of the road heading from Zhangjiajie to the 99 curve road to Tian Men Shan. It is near a quarry and several of it's entrances are partially quarried.

The cave is a multi entrance complex located in a small hill adjacent to a number of small quarries. Despite the apparent complexity, the cave can be categorised into two levels - an active river level and a relic upper level - with a number of connections between them. Some of the connections are part of the flood overflow.

The upper levels are of significant size, now shaped by considerable roof collapse. It appears that water seeps into the upper levels from above when conditions are wet enough, hence the description 'relic' not fossil. Evidence of sediment infill was seen in two places at a similar level, this infill is a mixture of rounded and angular clasts poorly cemented but has been largely washed out of the cave.

The active river level follows the same trend line as the relic level though slightly more north, following the strike of the limestone lower down. In wet conditions the river passage floods to the roof with overflow welling up into the lower parts of the relic section.

Five entrances are known: river sink, river resurgence, low level dry entrance, upper dry entrance and the big entrance by the quarry. With the exception of the river sink, it is possible to conduct through trips between any of them.

At the highest point in the upper level, there was a colony of large bats. A hole past the colony remains the best lead in the cave, but was not pushed for fear of disturbing the bats.

DRJC 2003.12.02