The scenic spot is located in Shilong Mountain at the junction of Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Although it belongs to Xuancheng, it is very close to Yixing, which is famous for bamboo seas and karst caves, with only a distance of 35 kilometers. If you want to view karst caves in southern Anhui, this is a good choice. In the Ming Dynasty, Feng Menglong once called ‘Guangde’s buried (Taiji Cave), Qiantang River tide, Leizhou’s drum replacement, and mirage’ the four wonders in the world.
The cave is warm in winter and cool in summer. Stalactites are in various shapes. There are dry caves and water caves. You can take a walk or take a boat to explore the underground underground river. The main entrance of the scenic area is in the south. After entering, you will first see the Yanchi Lake. There are some small scenic spots distributed along the road. If you arrive early, it is recommended to go straight to the deep Taiji Cave first to avoid being crowded with large groups of tourist groups. Look at the small scenic spots after coming out. After reaching the cave entrance, you can wait for a while. When the number of tourists gathers to about 20, the scenic area will assign a free tour guide to lead you into the cave. The tourist route inside the cave is in a Y shape. First play the dry cave on the left branch, then return to the cave entrance, and then play the water cave on the right branch. The exit is in the water cave. Passing through the Changle Palace (Liangyi Palace) at the cave entrance, you first reach the Bajing Palace. The stalactites of Taishang Laojun and the millennium locust tree are worth seeing. The dripping water wears away the stone is wonderful. In the middle of a stone shaped like a lying rabbit, a smooth small hole has been polished by water droplets. Passing through the Tongguan cave gate and coming to Yunjing Palace, the three characters ‘Qiong Ran Yan’ were inscribed by Fan Zhongyan. The fairy boat hanging upside down is a huge stone nearly 100 meters long on the top of the cave. Continuing forward to Zhenbao Palace (Xuedou Palace), the stalactites of Lingxiao Twin Towers and upside-down ganoderma are vivid. The buried valley is unfathomable, but there is no way to go. The tour of the dry cave ends here. Then go to the water cave. After returning to the cave entrance along the original road and taking a few steps, you will reach the ferry. The Jiuyu Galaxy (Bayiqu Yingzhou) is an underground underground river. The cruise is free. Tourists who experience boating in the cave for the first time will find it very novel. The boat sways and from time to time you need to bend down to avoid hitting the mountain rocks in front of you. After landing, climb dozens of steps to reach the Jade Emperor Palace (Yuqiong Palace). The beautiful stalactite in this palace is a pillar that is more than 2 meters high (Golden Dragon Coiling around a Jade Pillar). The subsequent Haitian Palace (Shenzui Palace) has a more special group of stalactites in the entire cave. Huangshan in the cave has a sloping cave top and strange rocks and peaks growing from the bottom of the cave. The Xihai Qunfeng and Xiannv Peak that Huangshan has can be seen here. The lights in the cave even create the scene of sunrise in Huangshan. On the high viewing platform, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Huangshan in the cave. After seeing the group of stalactites in Wanxiang Cave for a panoramic view of all phenomena and the murals on the stone wall of Xianyuan Palace that are all up to imagination, the tour of the water cave is over. From Xianyuan Palace to the exit, you need to climb 800 steps upward in a narrow passage, which is very discouraging.Upon arrival at the cave entrance, you can take a cable car ride which is an open-style seat, quite thrilling, costing 25 yuan, and only descending. However, the cable car is not a necessity as walking down the mountain only takes about ten minutes. On your way down, you can detour to see the ‘Four Wonders of the World’ cliff, then pass by the closed karst cave, Hutian Palace, and return to the Taoist temple, Tai Chi Temple, at the base of the mountain.
Generally, it takes about 2 hours to visit Tai Chi Cave. If you have extra time, you can also visit the Baopu Garden, not far from the cave entrance, which features antique architecture and lush vegetation. Families with children may enjoy the children’s playground with swings, rope bridge, or pay for a boat ride on Yanchi Lake. On the way to the main entrance of the scenic area, there is a low hill, Xuanmiao Hill, where you can see a stone forest composed of low-lying Taihu stones. The opening hours are from 08:30 to 16:30 all year round.
Preferential policies for children: Free for children under 6 years old (excluding) or under 1.2 meters (including) in height (with an accompanying guardian). Half price for children aged 6 years (including) to 18 years (including), with height limits from 1.2 meters (excluding) to 1.4 meters (excluding). Free for the elderly aged 65 years (including) and above; half price for those aged 60 years (including) to 65 years (excluding).
Service facilities include a parking lot: [Guangde Tai Chi Cave Parking Lot] Reference price: ¥10 per time; Address: Tai Chi Cave Scenic Area, Xinhang Town, Guangde County, Anhui Province; Capacity: 200.
Essential tips: 1. There are many small vendors at the base and near the cable car, selling toys, drinks, and snacks. Tai Chi Mountain Village inside the scenic area and hotels outside the scenic area can provide meals and accommodation. 2. Some vendors may sell flashlights, claiming the cave is very dark. However, the cave is well-lit, and flashlights are not needed. 3. There is a place in the water cave that claims to offer free photography, and you can collect the photos at the exit.
The Tai Chi Cave’s caverns do not have restrooms, but there are facilities available at the entrance of the scenic area, outside Tai Chi Cave, and next to the cable car exit at the water cave. The restrooms next to the cable car are not in the best condition.
High-end service information: Exclusive boat charter, where individuals can enjoy the entire cabin and receive dedicated service.
