Reed Flute Cave, Show cave in Xiufeng District, China
The Reed Flute Cave is a show cave in Xiufeng District, China, stretching 240 meters and accessible through three entrances. Inside, an underground lake runs through several lit chambers where stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated in yellow, green, and blue tones.
Inscriptions on the cave walls date from 792 during the Tang Dynasty and show that visitors came here centuries ago. In the 1940s, refugees sought shelter in these chambers during World War II.
The cave gets its name from the reeds that grow near the entrance, which craftspeople traditionally turn into flutes and other instruments. Visitors follow lit pathways along the underground lake and through chambers where rock formations have been named for centuries after figures from Chinese tales.
Visitors follow a marked circular route through the cave that takes about an hour and runs on level pathways. The air stays cool and humid, so a light jacket and non-slip footwear are recommended.
One rock chamber is called Crystal Palace of the Dragon King after a scene from the novel Journey to the West. The walls show scratched signatures and notes left by visitors from the eighth century in some spots.
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