Located in the Xiancun Scenic Area, to the north of Longhu Lake, approximately 3 kilometers away from the reservoir dam, Xiangu Cave is a uniquely shaped cave resembling a carpenter’s square. Inside the cave, there are three levels of brick, wood, and stone structures, primarily used for Taoist activities.
The second floor features three stone tablets, all carved during the Qing Dynasty. The left and right tablets are scenic inscriptions, while the central one bears an imperial edict from the 22nd year of the Guangxu Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, titled ‘Imperial Commendation for Chastity and Heroism: Inscription for Li Niang’, posthumously bestowing the title of Chaste and Heroic Woman upon Li Yulian. Due to the passage of time, some characters have become indistinct. The third floor is filled with the fragrance of incense, with a central altar dedicated to the Three Pure Ones, and a statue of the Fairy Niang on the right. Xiangu Cave was opened in the first year of the Xuantong era and officially developed during the Xianfeng years. It is said that in the Xianfeng year of the Qing Dynasty (1861), Li Yulian, the daughter of Li Gong’ao from Linhai, Taizhou, sought refuge in the cave. In the Tongzhi year (1864), she resisted the abduction by bandits and leaped off a cliff to her death, sitting in a meditative posture as if she was at peace. After Emperor Guangxu learned of this incident, he decreed her the title ‘Chaste and Heroic’. Subsequently, people revered her as ‘Fairy Niang’ and renamed the cave ‘Xiangu Cave’. A tomb for Fairy Niang was built at the site of her sacrifice.Xiangu Cave
Located in the Xiancun Scenic Area, to the north of Longhu Lake, approximately 3 kilometers away fro[...]
