Taogong cave

Taogong cave

Taogong cave is known as "the twelfth blessed place in the world" by Taoism. It is located at the foot of Daruoyan mountain and is a large natural cave. The cave, 56 meters high, 76 meters wide and 79 meters deep, is the largest stone chamber in southern Zhejiang.

"The cave is dark and bright, changing with the clouds. When the clouds return, it is dark, and when the clouds disperse, it is bright." The cave is divided into upper and lower layers. There are three Guanyin pavilions in the lower layer. The lecturing altar can accommodate hundreds of people. Outside the cave, there are jiuying front hall, bell and Drum Tower, wing room and monk kitchen. On the south side of the cave, a 56 level stone ladder leads to the upper "rooftop". Behind the rooftop is the hall of Hu Gong, which is dedicated to the statue of Hu Gong and the great emperor. In front is the Wenchang Pavilion. There is a pot like "Chishui well" on the lower right side of the shrine, which does not run dry or overflow all the year round

There are two long holes on the south side of the cave, which are called Liumi cave and Baihe cave. At night, the lights and candles are shining. The wall of the cave is white and stone. It looks like clouds or scales. It's dim and strange. It's different in color from far to near. At the mouth of the cave, the precipice of the cliff is covered with drops, which are sprinkled into the pool. It is just like "Tiannvsanhua". It is "the precipice drips water, and the weather is sunny and rainy, and the air is cool, and the summer is autumn".

Taogong cave has a long history. Two thousand years ago, during the reign of Ganlu in the later Han Dynasty, Taoist Fu yinyao lived in seclusion here. During the Three Kingdoms period, Taoist Wang XuanZhen practiced here. During the period of Qi and Liang in the Southern Dynasty, Tao hongjingyin, a famous Taoist thinker known as "prime minister in the mountains", wrote Zhengao. The temple in the cave was built in 866, the seventh year of Xiantong, Yizong of Tang Dynasty, and was built successively in song, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Incense is very popular here, and visitors are like clouds. From the beginning of August to September 9 of the lunar calendar every year, there are more than ten thousand people who burn incense and worship Buddha.

Address: Donghu scenic spot, Gaobu Town, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City

Longitude: 120.62833696561

Latitude: 30.001800883397

Ticket information: no ticket required. Included in the East Lake scenic spot ticket or Shaoxing ancient city tourism ticket.