Have you ever wondered what secrets lie beneath the surface of the earth? In a remote village in China, a group of farmers stumbled upon a stunning discovery that has baffled archaeologists and historians for decades. The Longyou Caves are a complex of 24 artificial sandstone caverns that date back to more than 2,000 years ago, but were never recorded in any historical documents and were only rediscovered in 1992.
The caves are located in Zhejiang province, near the village of Shiyan Beicun by the Qu River. They were created by carving out the rock from top to bottom and layer by layer, using short chisels of different sizes. The caves are very large, with an average floor area of over 1,000 square meters and a total volume comparable to the Egyptian pyramids. The caves have a uniform style of chiseling marks and do not interconnect with each other.
The origin and purpose of the caves are unknown, and no traces of torches, tools, or debris have been found inside. The caves are considered a remarkable engineering feat and a mystery of ancient Chinese civilization. The caves have a sophisticated drainage system, a south-to-southwest orientation that maximizes the use of sunlight, and inclined sidewalls that reduce the stress on the cave ceilings. The caves also have carved symbols and patterns on the walls and ceilings, the meaning of which has yet to be deciphered.
Archaeologists have recovered glazed clay pots in the silt soils of the cavern floor, dating to the Western Han Dynasty from 206 BC to AD 23, which suggests the caves were constructed earlier and date from around 2,000 years ago. However, there is no historical record of their construction, nor is there any evidence of who built them and why. The only documented reference to the caves is a Chinese poem by Yu Xun, written in the 17th century.
Why they were constructed has also led to speculation that they were ancient quarries, a mausoleum, underground storage, Taoist dwellings, reservoirs, secluded military encampments, a palace, or a ceremonial site for making offerings to the gods and ancestors. Each theory has a reasonable argument, however, the scarcity of evidence can neither be supported nor disproved, until further research may shed light on the mystery of the Longyou Caves.
The Longyou Caves are a fascinating example of how much we still don’t know about our past and how much we can learn from exploring the hidden wonders of our planet. If you are looking for an adventure that will challenge your imagination and inspire your curiosity, you might want to visit these amazing caves and see for yourself what secrets they hold.
Relevant articles:
– Longyou Caves – Wikipedia, Wikipedia, 2023-06-27
– The Mystery of the Longyou Caves – Archaeology News, HeritageDaily, 2020-08-28
– Longyou Caves – Quzhou, China – Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 2015-02-25
– THE MYSTERY OF THE LONG YOU CAVES – Peace Lily, Peace Lily, 2023-03-24
Interesting… I always wondered how the ancient people managed to built such astonishing structures. I mean, they never had the tools at the time right? Thanks for sharing.