石林芝云洞

Zhiyundong - Shilin Zhiyun Cave - Large and Small Zhiyun Cave


Useful Information

Location: G324 Guangkun Expressway, Lufu Street, Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Kunming City.
(24.851171, 103.292959)
Open:
Fee:
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System LightColoured Light
Dimension: Zhiyun Cave: L=400 m, W=15 m, H=30 m.
Jibailong Cave: L=450 m, H=20 m, W=10 m.
Minor Zhiyun Cave: L=200 m, H=30 m, W=8 m.
Guided tours: Zhiyun Cave: D=30 min.
Jibailong Cave: D=1 h.
Minor Zhiyun Cave: D=30 min.
V=500,000/a [2000]
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Shilin Zhiyun Cave, Guangkun Expressway, Lufu Street, Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Kunming City, Tel: +86-871-67711439.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1986 declared a protected area.
1998 Minor Zhiyun Cave opened to the public.
2007 inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Description

芝云洞 (Zhī yún dòng, Zhiyoun Cave) is a small show cave located close to the Shilin Stone Forest. It is often mentioned together with nearby Shilin Stone Forest, is called an underground stone forest, or the name Shilin is attached and the cave called Shilin Zhiyoun Cave. Of course, the whole area is karstified and there are stone forest rocks all over the area, not only in the small official park. But this show cave is located more than 4 km from the entrance to the stone forest, and actually caves are not called underground stone forest. Actually the karren which create the forest-like structure are a result of rain water and are quite rare underground.

The Zhiyoun Cave site is a scenic area, with numerous other caves, which are named Minor Zhiyun Cave(叠云岩), Jibailong Cave, Zhu'er Cave, and Dagang Cave. The cave is visited at least for 400 years. Zhiyun Cave, Minor Zhiyun Cave, and Jibailong Cave are open to the public.

Zhiyun Cave contains a stele which was erected by Wangliang during Ming Dynasty. The stele is 1.6 m tall, 60 cm wide and 30 cm thick. It was made of jade.

Jibailong Cave is located under Jibailong mountain in Tianshanqiao village. The cave is 450 m long, the passage is 20 m high and 10 m wide. The visit takes an hour.

Minor Zhiyun Cave:

叠云岩 (Minor Zhiyun Cave) is 200 m long.