紫霞洞

Zi Xia Dong


Useful Information

Location: Kampung Pulai, 18300 Gua Musang, Kelantan.
(4.793272, 101.942061)
Open: No restrictions.
[2011]
Fee: free.
[2011]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave KarstTurmkarst SubterraneaCave Church
Light: bring torch
Dimension: A=137 m asl.
Guided tours:  
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography:  
Address: Zi Xia Dong, Kampung Pulai, 18300 Gua Musang, Kelantan.
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

1984 concrete staircase built.
1988 first tarred road built to the town.
1998 beginning of construction of Goddess Guan Yin statue.
2008 Goddess Guan Yin statue completed.

Description

紫霞洞 (Zi Xia Dong) is a Chinese cave temple, hence the Chinese name, located in the karst tower Princess Hill. The tower was named after an old legend, a beautiful princess searching for her missing father came to this place. She found him meditating at the cave, but he was dying of old age. She placed the first commemorative shrine for her father in the cave. So the hill was named after her, for her daughterly unselfishness.

The name of the cave is Chinese, dong is the Chinese word for cave, while gua would be the Malaysian term. The cave is decorated in the typical Chinese style. This starts with the huge name of the cave carved into the cliff face at the entrance. The huge three chinese characters are painted with red colour. Inside the cave are various religius sculptures, shrines, and statues which are also in Chinese style. The main statue fills the through cave almost to the ceiling and depicts Goddess Guan Yin. It was carved from a huge stalagmite by Chinese craftsmen between 1998 and 2008.

The cave is located high up in the cliff face of a karst tower and is reached on a concrete staircase built in front of the cliff. Before the staircase was built there were only wooden ladders which had to be climbed to reach the cave entrance 40 m above the ground. The view from the entrance is breathtaking.

The cave has various passages and chambers with different shrines, sometimes connected by narrow or low passages. One altar is called Shi Fu Tan and another is dedicated to Na To Gong. A huge stalagmite nearby is said to be the home of Na To Gong.

The village Kampung Pulai is inhabited by Hakka Chinese, which are said to have come here 600 years ago in search of gold. The town is very remote, the first tarred road was built only 20 years ago. So the Chinese culture of the people could survive for centuries.