Zang Jun Cave is an ancient site in Xiangshan, characterized by a stone-covered entrance approximately 80 centimeters square. Historical records indicate that the cave was likely constructed over three thousand years ago during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. At that time, King Helü of Wu dominated the feudal lords, engaging in numerous military campaigns against Yue and Chu. For tactical reasons, he ordered the excavation of many military caves in the Xiangshan and Changshan areas along the Yangtze River.
In the 1970s, archaeologists discovered a large number of geometric pottery and red pottery with characteristics of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in the Zang Jun Cave on the northwest slope of Xiangshan, confirming the historical records. The cave features a trench-like A-frame structure, narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, with walls constructed from blocks of stone. The interior is 5-10 meters high, with a base width of 4-5 meters between the north and south, and an east-west tunnel shape extending 25 meters deep. The Zang Jun Cave in Xiangshan is unique in several ways: firstly, every three caves form a group, arranged in a triangular pattern, with nine such groups covering an area of about 2500 square meters each, which is not found in other military caves; secondly, the tunnel’s direction parallels the mountain’s slope, with soldiers entering and exiting from the sides rather than the front and back, unlike other caves where the tunnels are mostly perpendicular to the mountain’s slope; thirdly, while other military caves on mountains are generally built halfway up the mountainside, the Xiangshan Zang Jun Cave is situated atop the peak, overlooking the surrounding area; and fourthly, the cave’s proximity to the Yangtze River within the ‘Great Wall of the South’ may be related to Xiangshan’s historical significance as a strategic gateway to the river and the sea. The cave is open all year round, accessible 24 hours a day, with specific business hours subject to daily operation conditions.Zang Jun Cave
Zang Jun Cave is an ancient site in Xiangshan, characterized by a stone-covered entrance approximate[...]
