Zilai Cave is located on the slopes of Yuhuang Mountain. Originally a small stone cave, it was artificially developed by the Taoist priest Zidong of the Qing Dynasty’s Fuxing Temple following the natural terrain. It is also known as Feilong Cave as there is a legend that a flying dragon once lived here. To suppress it, people specially made seven iron cauldrons, but the dragon managed to escape. Today, these seven star cauldrons can still be seen beside the cave.
The cave is characterized by containing smaller caves within, being deep and mysterious, and having a moist and cool environment, making it an ideal place to escape the summer heat. On the sloping wall, the phrase ‘Zi Qi Dong Lai’ (meaning ‘Purple Qi Comes from the East’) is inscribed, cleverly incorporating the name ‘Zilai’ into the cave’s title.
At the entrance of the cave, there is a cliff with stone steps that only allow one person to pass at a time, requiring visitors to turn sideways to get through. Currently, a new attraction called Qian Kun Palace has been added here, featuring modern electronic laser landscapes including stories of Buddhist and Taoist legends such as ‘Fairy Scattering Flowers’, ‘Ling Xiao Hall’, ‘Jiang Taigong Fishing’, and ‘Avalokitesvara’.
Opening hours are from 06:30 to 17:00 all year round. Essential tips for visitors: The cave is dark and damp inside, so please be cautious for safety.
