Caves

It’s local lore that hidden caves are found in each of Suiyang’s many mountains. Many are officially open to tourists, but it’s the thrill of perhaps discovering one for the very first time that leads nature lovers from around the country to Suiyang.

Shuanghe Cave enjoys the reputation of being China’s finest cave complex. He Wei, director of the Guizhou Mountain Resources Research Institute, points out there are more than 100 caves in the Shuanghe complex. Many are directly connected.

During my visit, an international cave exploration organization was conducting an expedition deep into the complex. I ran into several French members of the organization on their way back up. In spite of the scratches and grazes received from their spelunking, they were in high spirits. They’d just discovered a whole spate of cavernous wonders down deep below us.

Shuanghe Cave is part of a broader region of Karst rock formations, the result of hundreds of millions of years of interaction between soluble rock and the elements. Most soft rock in the area has been ground away, while the sturdier stuff remains standing to form magnificent, tall structures that jut out of the landscape around them.

These days Shuanghe is attracting greater numbers of foreign tourists. It was the only sight in Guizhou Province to be listed on the Global Times’ 2006 list of “Top 50 Sightseeing Destinations for Foreign Tourists,” and since then has seen a jump in visitors.

Located roughly 50 kilometers from Suiyang Town, the Shuanghe Cave complex is hidden away among the mountains. Two rivers converge nearby, giving the caves their name – “Shuanghe” means “two rivers.”

The Shuanghe cavernous system is made up of three “layers,” or “stories.” Eight major caverns branch off into 118 offshoot caves. Four underground rivers weave their way through the system. The total discerned length of the cave complex reaches 138 kilometers, making Shuanghe the largest cave complex in China, the second largest in Asia and the 16th largest in the world.

What makes Shuanghe unique is its age. The dolomite stratum from which the complex formed has accumulated over a period of 400 million years. Cave complexes such as Shuanghe are very rarely formed from dolomite. The caves here are the subject of study for geologists from around the world.

As a journalist I was lucky to be granted access, along with researchers from the Guizhou Mountain Resources Research Institute, to the Gypsum Crystal Cave. It is yet to be opened to the public. The cave, hidden in the depths of Shuanghe, contains a number of wonders.

Its blue dome of celestite and walls of flawless white gypsum crystals seemed palatial. The gypsum crystals come in a variety of shapes and sizes, many resembling flowers. I thought I made out chrysanthemum, magnolia, peony and lotus flowers among them.

Helictites, some of the most delicate of cave formations, abound in the cave. They grow out of the walls and ceiling of the cave – some twisting and curling, some ramrod straight – seemingly defying gravity. Their color also stood out – a brilliant white.

On leaving the Gypsum Crystal Cave, we visited several other locations. We saw grand stalagmites and stalactites, and gushing underground waterfalls. Tourists were in greater number here, and I felt a vague sense of trespassing. Under the heat of bright lamps, I felt we were breaking the serenity and purity of the ancient caves with our presence. For sure, these caves are something that everyone should see, but at what cost? Will increasing tourist numbers ruin the natural spectacle? I hope not.