天钟洞

Tianzhong Dong - Sky Bell Cave


Useful Information

Location: Libo County, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou 558402.
(25.240308, 107.678781)
Open: All year daily 8-16.
[2022]
Fee: DEC to FEB: Adults CNY 90.
MAR to NOV: Adults CNY 110.
[2022]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave Middle and Upper Carboniferous limestone and dolomite
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System LightColoured Light
Dimension: L=1,000 m, W=38 m, H=53 m, VR=38 m, A=762 m asl.
Guided tours: self guided, L=828 m.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Xiaoqikong Scenic Area, Libo County, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou 558402.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

天钟洞 (Tiān zhōng dòng, Tianzhong Dong, Sky Bell Cave) is named after the giant stalagmite in the shape of a big bell. To make this completely clear, even is a visitor is not able to read the huge chinese letters at the entrance, there is actually a bell made of metal in front of the cave entrance, with a door cut into the bell. The cave is reached through an artificial tunnel. While mostly spacious the cave also has a low section which is only 1.5 m high and requires stooping.

The cave was formed by the Huanghou underground river. The river which flows through the nearby park, flows through the lower level of this cave. The cave has less speleothems tha other caves in the South China Karst, but it has some fine rimstone pools.

The park was lately developed for mass tourist. Leaving the motorway at the Xiao Qikong Toll Gate there is a 4 lane motorway to the enormous parking lot which has enough space for about 100 coaches. It seems they intend to make this site a mass tourist site. The Xiaoqikong Scenic Area Ticket Office is located at the northern end of the park and from here a trail leads through Wolongtan gorge. Numerous roads across the park are used by shuttle busses of the park which transport the visitors from one spot to the next, as afar as we understand there is a bus every 10 minutes. The cave is in the southwestern corner of the park, and it is a through cave with entrance and exit on different sides of a hill. As a result you must take one of the busses to continue your journey. The rather high fee is the fee for the park and includes all sights of the scenic spot and the shuttle busses. As far as we know its not possible to visit only the cave.