The Longyou Grottoes, located 1 kilometer east of the Longyou North Bus Station, is a large underground architectural complex that has been dormant beneath the earth for a thousand years. Within an area of nearly one square kilometer, there are 24 man-made caves of varying sizes, distributed seemingly in a pattern, with a grand scale. Currently, five grottoes have been developed, and visitors can descend into the caves along stone steps. The scenic area is an open park with lakes and some pavilions and towers; tickets are only checked upon entering the grottoes, and strolling around the park is free of charge. Within the scenic area, you can also see undeveloped caves, which are submerged in water and blocked by fences. Upon entering the scenic area, you will first arrive at a projection room to watch a documentary about the discovery and excavation of the grottoes. There are various theories about the origin of the Longyou Grottoes; some say they are underground pyramids, others believe they were storage facilities for grain and military use since the Western Han Dynasty, and some even claim they were left by aliens. Local elders often mention that this place used to be a quarry, and the stones excavated from the ground were used to build the walls of Longyou… The enigmatic history of the Longyou Grottoes has also attracted many tourists to explore. After leaving the projection room and following the path, you will soon reach the visiting area. The entrances to the grottoes are all at a higher elevation, and as you descend step by step along the stone steps, it becomes cooler the deeper you go. Especially in the summer, when the outside is scorching hot, entering the grottoes brings a refreshing coolness. In fact, the Longyou Grottoes do not provide a strong visual impact like natural karst caves or the statues of Longmen Grottoes. At first glance, you might think it’s just a huge cave with dim light, damp ground, and nothing else. However, if you observe carefully, you can see that the cave ceiling and stone pillars have clear marks of deliberate decoration by ancient people, distributed evenly and regularly; each cave varies in size, but there are always several thick stone pillars supporting the top; each cave has one or two stone pools and artificial slopes excavated at the bottom; not far from the entrance of Cave No. 1, there are cliff carvings of fish, horses, and birds… Every visitor here is inevitably curious about who built such a massive underground grotto and what it was used for. The ornamental aspect of the grottoes is secondary. After visiting the grottoes, you can continue to the nearby Longyou Folk Residence Garden, which is a few minutes’ drive away. Opening hours are from 08:00 to 16:30 all year round. Preferential policies: Children: Free for those under 1.2 meters (not including); half price for those between 1.2 meters (including) and 1.5 meters (including). Elderly: Free for those aged 70 and above with ID or senior citizen card; half price for those aged 60 to 69 with ID or senior citizen card. Military personnel: Free for active-duty military with valid documents. Students: Half price for students with valid student ID. Veterans: Free with valid documents. Martyrs’ dependents, military dependents, and dependents of deceased military personnel: Free with valid documents. Service facilities: Parking lot: [Longyou Grottoes Parking Lot], reference price: ¥10/hour; address: at the entrance of Longyou Grottoes; spaces: 60.
Longyou Grottoes
The Longyou Grottoes, located 1 kilometer east of the Longyou North Bus Station, is a large undergro[...]
