Grottes et karsts de Chine
Sur les traces de Xu Xiake

From buildings go into a forest. Go through the forest for a few minutes. Coming to a field there is a building. The entrance is on the right

4m wide, long 40m long depression. On the SE side slopes down to a pitch. The rift-shaft with a small trickle drops 12m to platform of boulders held together with mud. After a further 28m an 8m-wide flat floor is reached. The way on is through 10m-high, 2-3m wide passage. The second pitch is between boulders. The passage becomes narrow (2m wide, 4m high) and a trickle enters through an impenetrable crack. The passage continues with a boulder floor, going down in small steps. After a few meters of meander the third pitch is reached. At the bottom the passage is 2-3m wide. On the left there is an 8m-high closed aven. Beyond the aven narrows to 0.5m wide, 0.5m high. Progress at first is by crawling in the streamway. The ceiling rises and it is possible to traverse at different levels. At station 19 there is a very narrow side passage on the left where a rhythmic booming (drip?) was heard and there was strong wind [QM B]. The main meander continues to the right. After a few metres there are two climbs down (1m, 2m) followed by a small chamber with a beautiful 3m-tall stalactite and other formations. Beyond the chamber there is more crawling through 0.3m high, 1.5m wide over cobbles and water to a small boulder chamber. The meander continues 0.5m wide, 2m high and the passage suddenly turns to the right at a flat-out squeeze in water. After 7m of misery, a fresh collapse is reached which has lots of hanging death. There is strong wind going into the collapse [QM B].

Puma 2006.10.10