Cave in China. Secrets of the Chinese Huashan Cave

Adventurers went deep underground to explore previously unexplored caves in Chinese province Guangxi. 33-year-old Belgian photographer Francois-Xavier De Ruydts and a team of speleologists spent a long time wandering the underground worlds in early 2014 to get these images.

1. As already mentioned, this cave is located in China in the Guangxi province. We approach the entrance.

2. In most caves, the air is breathable due to natural circulation, although there are caves in which you can only be in gas masks. For example, the air can be poisoned by deposits of guano (naturally decomposed remains of seabird and bat droppings. However, in the overwhelming majority natural caves air exchange with the surface is quite intense.

3. The reasons for air movement are most often the temperature difference in the cave and on the surface, therefore the direction and intensity of circulation depend on the time of year and weather conditions. In large cavities, the air movement is so intense that it turns into wind. For this reason, air draft is one of the important signs when searching for new caves.

4. On Earth, karst caves have the greatest extent and depth. Karst caves are formed due to the dissolution of rocks by water.

5. By the way, there are caves not only on Earth, they were discovered on and. Apparently, these are volcanic caves, ancient traces of volcanic activity.

6. Prehistoric people used caves all over the world as homes. Even more often, animals settled in caves. Many animals died in trap caves starting from vertical wells.

7. The extremely slow evolution of caves, their constant climate, and protection from the outside world have preserved a huge number of archaeological finds to us. This is pollen from fossil plants, bones of long-extinct animals, cave drawings ancient people and their tools.

8. Although the living world of caves is usually not very rich (excluding the entrance part, where sunlight), some animals live in caves or even only in caves. First of all, these are bats; many of their species use caves as daily shelter or for wintering. Moreover, bats sometimes fly into very remote and hard-to-reach corners, perfectly navigating the narrow labyrinthine passages.

10. Cave views adapt to complete darkness, and many of them lose their organs of vision and pigmentation. These species are often very rare, many of them endemic.

11. The depth of a cave is the difference in height between the entrance (the highest of the entrances, if there are several of them) and the lowest point of the cave. If there are passages in a cave located above the entrance, the concept of amplitude is used - the difference in levels between the lowest and highest points of the cave.

12. It is estimated that maximum depth The occurrence of cave passages under the surface (not to be confused with the depth of the cave!) can be no more than 3,000 meters: deeper than that, any cave will be crushed by the weight of the overlying rocks.

13. Most deep cave planet is considered karst cave Krubera-Voronya, located in the Arabica mountain range in Abkhazia. Its depth is 2,199 meters deep.

14. The longest cave in the world is Mammoth Cave (USA) - karst, built in limestone. It has a total length of passages of more than 600 km. The longest cave in Russia is the Botovskaya cave, over 60 km long.

15. And we are in a cave in China, Guangxi province. This photo allows you to understand the dimensions underworld. It's time to go outside.

Huashan is one of the sacred mountains located in China, religious ceremonies are held here, and there are also unusual caves Huashan. They say that Lao Tzu himself, the great Chinese philosopher, lived here. But about what is inside the rocks unique complex man-made caves, striking the imagination with their grandeur, became known only recently.

Translated, the name means “Blooming Mountain”, because the five peaks of Huashan resemble a lotus flower. This is very beautiful place, but its beauty is dangerous: on the slopes there is one of the most dangerous routes in the world, which runs along winding paths and narrow bridges at great heights. Along them you can see ancient monasteries and pagodas. Despite amazing landscapes and spiritual significance of the place, to risk climbing these steep slopes Only brave pilgrims and extreme tourists dared.

Today, to attract tourists, spectacular lighting has been installed in the halls of the caves, which illuminate the vaults in different colors, giving this place an even more mysterious atmosphere. Huashan is included in the list of UNESCO protected sites.

Since the discovery of the caves, many mysteries have arisen. The first thing that strikes the imagination is their size. The entire complex consists of 36 caves, each of which is assigned a number. The area of ​​the largest of them, nicknamed the “palace,” is more than 12,600 sq.m.

According to studies of the walls and stalactites, the age of the building is approximately 1,700 years. It has also been established that the caves were created by human hands, because there are tunnels, columns, stairs and bridges over underground reservoirs. Traces of ancient chisels used to create these halls were also discovered. Scientists were struck by the fact that the angle of the walls completely coincides with the angle of the mountain slopes, and how this could be done without modern equipment is one of the main mysteries of the Huashan underground complex.

Other secrets of the caves are no less amazing. So, there is no mention of them anywhere, and why is this huge complex was forgotten and not described in ancient documents, scientists could not answer. Another question that worries researchers is where the stone removed from the bowels during the construction process went. Calculations indicate that with this volume it was possible to pave a road 240 km long, but in the surrounding area there are no objects similar to hewn stones.

Recently, pottery dating back to the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD) was discovered in one of the caves, suggesting that people were using the complex as early as the beginning of the first millennium. But for what purpose this happened is unclear. In addition, there are no traces of torch soot on the walls, which would be necessary when visiting a structure in the depths of Huashan.

There are various theories. The most mystical one says that these caves are part of a number of anomalous objects, because they are located at the same latitude as the Bermuda Triangle and the pyramids in Egypt. But some historians are sure: mysterious building created for religious ceremonies of ancient emperors, who found it difficult to climb greater height Flowering mountain. For the same reason, the location of the place was kept in the strictest confidence.

Be that as it may, the Huashan Caves are an amazing object created in ancient times by human hands. Anyone who dares to get here will be surprised by the grandeur and area of ​​the underground halls.

Ancient grottoes and miners

I'll start this article with a picture. This photo shows a golden figurine found among others in Panama. The golden treasure belongs to a civilization unknown to science. We draw our own conclusions.

Official explanations of the origin of the huge Longyu grottoes in China, during the creation of which about a million cubic meters of stone were somehow removed, do not stand up to criticism. What is their similarity with workings made by special mining equipment today?

For archaeologists and historians, of course, all this was carved out by hand. Then in the comments I made an assumption:
The production of material is similar to the traces that were left when trying to cut down the Aswan Obelisk in Egypt. It seems as if a huge milling cutter was scooping out the material or going through it step by step, layer by layer.

Now I will try to compare this ancient object with what (or rather the traces in it on the walls and ceilings) is obtained in the mines when the cutters of mining machines pass through.

But first, let's remember Longueu Cave:

These caves were accidentally discovered by one of the local peasants, who wrote about them to the authorities. Many researchers, workers from various institutes, and then tourists immediately rushed there. And what is surprising: although these are the largest caves in China, created not by nature, but by man, there is no information about them in ancient chronicles. Who created them and why? Where did this go? a large number of stone? And if the goal was precisely the extraction of stone, then why are the caves made to look like temples?

Footprints on walls, taken close up

Grottoes before pumping out water

I won’t write official nonsense about these line drawings. I will write dry data on the caves. Let me remind you that there are 24 caves (according to other sources - 36), the first were found (water was pumped out) in 1992. Volume of excavated rock: just under a million cubic meters!!!

Huashan Caves are located in the rocks in the south of Anhui Province


One of the caves called Huanxi has an area of ​​4800 square meters. m, and the length is 140 meters. Inside there is a spacious hall, columns, pools and several small rooms on both sides of the cave tunnel.
The most big cave became known as the "underground palace". Its dimensions are amazing: 12600 sq.m. The artificial origin of the caves is confirmed stone bridges across the river, stairs, passages and large columns.

There is one peculiarity: the builders managed to determine the angle of inclination of the internal walls so that it exactly coincides with the angle at which the outer surface of the mountain is inclined. What technologies did the ancients use to create such an unusual interior? How and with what was the interior space illuminated?

The total area of ​​only two of the second and thirty-fifth caves exceeds 17,000 sq.m. The volume of rubble and soil removed from these caves reached 20 thousand cubic meters. It took three pumps and more than 12 days to pump out 18 thousand tons of water. Now these caves are open to the public; in cave No. 35 there are 26 stone columns, all rooms have a bizarre multi-tiered shape.

Cave number 35 has a depth of 170 meters and an area of ​​about 12 thousand square meters. meters. The entrance to the cave is small. A 20-meter-long tunnel runs from it and then suddenly a huge underground palace appears in front of you. In the middle of the palace there are 26 tall, huge stone columns, the circumference of which is more than ten meters. These columns diverge to form a triangle shape
In cave number 35 there is another place that evokes involuntary admiration among visitors. This is a wall stone cave, stretching all the way to the ground at an angle of 45 degrees. It is 15 meters wide and 30 meters long.

The caves are located between the following coordinates: 29°39’34″ and 29°47’7″

This is what archaeologists call wall carvings! The question is, why? It does not make sense; trying to make exactly parallel lines when working with a chisel is a complication of the work. Official explanation this doesn’t explain what we see in any way.

End of the first part....

SECOND PART -

Blogger today onymacris shared his question with me, asked me to look for information, we read:

This morning, while driving in a car, I heard on the radio about the Huashan caves (this is in China). I immediately wanted to know more and more about it. There they told such passions about them, like how they were not made by man and that they are on the same line (though I didn’t hear which one) with the Egyptian pyramids and the Bermuda triangle.

It turns out there are so many secrets that many just shrug their shoulders. Sinologists (sinologists), historians, and geologists are trying to unravel them. Why and who, many centuries ago, carved out many huge caves? Why were they arranged? What exactly happened in them? Why are they not mentioned in historical chronicles? And the most interesting fact- The Huashan caves were discovered relatively recently - in the late 90s of the last century.

In 1999, they were accidentally found by one of the local peasants, who wrote about the caves to the authorities. Many researchers, workers from various institutes, and then tourists immediately rushed there. And what is surprising: although these are the largest caves in China, created not by nature, but by man, there is no information about them in ancient chronicles. Who created them and why? Where did such a large amount of stone disappear to? And if the goal was precisely the extraction of stone, then why are the caves made to look like temples?

Huashan Caves are located in the rocks in the south of Anhui Province. It is in these places that the Yellow Mountain, sacred to Taoism, is located, which, in fact, represents five great mountains located a mile or two apart from each other. They seem to indicate the cardinal directions: center, south, north, west and east. Mount Huashan is the western great mountain, there are several Taoist monasteries on it. Currently, 36 caves have been discovered here, but their exact number is unknown. In addition, it is unknown whether they are connected into some kind of general complex, or each is located separately.

There is another intriguing feature: the Huashan caves are located at 30 degrees north latitude, and it is at this parallel that Mount Kailash in Tibet, the Bermuda Triangle, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, as well as other “anomalous” points on the planet are located. Is this a coincidence or did someone deliberately hollow out caves at this particular latitude?

One of the caves called Huanxi has an area of ​​4800 square meters. m, and the length is 140 meters. Inside there is a spacious hall, columns, pools and several small rooms on both sides of the cave tunnel. The largest cave became known as the "underground palace". Its dimensions are amazing: 12600 sq.m. The artificial origin of the caves is confirmed by stone bridges across the river, stairs, passages and large columns. In addition, numerous chisel marks remained on the surface of the ceilings and walls. Another interesting question: where did the stonecutters remove the huge amount of stones and rubble? And how did they manage to determine the angle of inclination of the inner walls so that it exactly coincides with the angle at which the outer surface of the mountain is inclined? What technologies did the ancients use to create such an unusual interior? How and with what was the interior space illuminated?

Different versions can be put forward for each of the questions, but none of them has yet received an evidence base. However, this is far from the only case when scientists only have assumptions. For example, the famous ribbed towers in Tibet with the shape of a star: there is also no written evidence about them or their creators.

The only written mention of Mount Huashan, but not of its caves, is contained in the writings of a historian during the Han Dynasty.

It says that many famous Chinese emperors loved this mountain and often came to it to pray to the gods and ancient ancestors. How people could climb its steep slopes and how long it took is also unknown. Since ancient times, the top of the mountain can be reached only along one narrow winding path 12 kilometers long. Those who wanted to perform any religious ceremonies or rituals at its peak had to have considerable determination.

All of the above leads to the conclusion that Mount Huashan, striking in its beauty, had a special status among the ancient inhabitants of these places. But we don't know any details yet. And if we knew this, we would be able to guess what made the inhabitants spend a huge amount of effort, hollowing out passages and caves inside the sacred mountain. Public administration The PRC Tourism Agency has taken many serious actions to provide access to these caves for travelers and tourists. Experts from one of the universities have developed a project for the development of the cave complex, which includes lighting the caves. The lighting in different colors is extremely beautiful. It gives the caves a truly fabulous flavor. Each cave is numbered and some are accessible to visitors.

According to tourist sites, it was only during a preliminary inspection of the caves that experts were struck by the scale of what they saw. None of the already known complexes is superior to Huashan. Eg, total area only two of the caves, the second and thirty-fifth, exceed 17,000 sq.m. The volume of rubble and soil removed from these caves reached 20 thousand cubic meters. It took three pumps and more than 12 days to pump out 18 thousand tons of water. Now these caves are open to the public; in cave No. 35 there are 26 stone columns, all rooms have a bizarre multi-tiered shape. Here you can admire stone terraces, pavilions, swimming pools and ponds, and stone bridges. There are bas-reliefs here and there.

Grishchenkov V. “Secrets of the Huashan Cave”

Cave No. 35, now open to the public, contains 36 objects, 26 columns (the circumference of one column is more than 10 m). All rooms have an irregular, bizarre multi-tiered shape. Experts note the high technical and aesthetic thoughtfulness of the caves. 18 bas-reliefs were discovered in caves No. 2 and No. 36. You can see stone terraces, ponds and pools with green water, stone bridges. Traveling through the cave complex, you find yourself either in a vast hall or in a narrow gallery - as if you are walking through a quaint palace.

Comrade Jiang Zemin visited the cave complex in May 2001 and wrote four characters, giving the cave complex the name "Huashan Miku". He noted that the Huashan caves are a national treasure of China. In January 2003, the Chinese Ambassador to the UN, Wang Yingfang, visited the complex and said that solving the mystery of these caves would make it possible to place this majestic complex on a par with the Great Chinese wall and the Tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang.

Like Egyptian pyramids, Huashan caves are fraught with many mysteries. Who created these caves and when? Where hundreds of thousands of cubic meters were exported. m of stones? Why don't historical chronicles mention these caves? Why were they discovered only in our time?

During the cleaning of the caves, ceramic products were discovered that experts attributed to the era of the Jin Dynasty (265-420), which gives grounds to attribute the caves to this time according to the time of their creation. This conclusion is tentatively confirmed by studies of stalactites.

The caves have pools and lakes. The water in them is so clear that you can see the bottom. It is curious that the water level in the lowest lakes is seven feet lower than the level of the Xinyang River, which flows in the valley of the sacred mountain.

From the very moment the caves were discovered, they have been talking about their man-made nature. However, it is possible that the ancient builders simply used what was already created by nature. In case they really completely cut down the sacred mountain These halls, the project is striking in its scale. After all, more than 100 thousand cubic meters of stones alone would have to be removed from these places when drilling caves. However, (remember the Great the Chinese wall) the Chinese were never afraid grandiose projects. But then it remains unclear why the project, now claiming to be a new wonder of the world, was built so quietly - not a single chronicle or record mentions either the creation or the use of the Huashan caves. Meanwhile, the caves, created in the depths of the sacred mountain, were most likely very important for the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. And then another assumption is born: the caves were created as secret object, perhaps a military man, maybe troops were quartered there. Or the caves were a place of secret spiritual practices; it is quite possible that they were intended for the monastery.

However, when the caves were cleared, no traces of fires or soot were found on the walls. The question again: how did the inhabitants illuminate these halls?

And here’s another mystery of the caves: they are almost completely devoid of echo. For some reason, those who conceived these shelters needed complete silence, and they designed the walls and vaults in such a way that the stones absorb the echo instead of reflecting it, as usual.

It is unknown when exactly the caves were built or equipped, but stone samples indicate that the caves are about 1,700 years old.

Huashan (blooming mountain) is a complex of five mountains in China, which received its name due to the resemblance of its peaks to a lotus flower. The Chinese say: “If you have visited the five sacred mountains of China, you don’t have to go to other mountains.” The Huashan Mountains are one of the places of Taoist religious practices and alchemy. Lao Tzu himself lived in these places.

These mountains are amazingly picturesque, but climbing to their peaks is extremely dangerous. Narrow mountain paths wind through the rocks, joining together at the highest peak - 2100 meters. Pilgrims, climbing to the top, often pass through numerous bridges hanging in the steep cliffs on chains, some of which were built many centuries ago.

Along the trails are Taoist monasteries and pagodas. Even buildings from the 11th century (Yuquan Temple) and palaces of the Yuan Dynasty have been preserved. But most of the buildings belong to the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). It is no coincidence that UNESCO included Huashan on the list of natural heritage sites.

Regarding our caves: the Huashan caves and Mount Huashan (which is near Xi'an, not the others) are at least a day away railway from each other, from the Mountain to the Cave - 24 hours by train and several hours by bus to the place.

If the Chinese built such a grandiose complex that can claim to be a wonder of the world, then why was this construction not covered in the chronicles of Chinese history?

From all that has been said, the conclusion suggests itself that Mount Huashan, known for its beauty, had a special significance for the ancient inhabitants of these places, but what exactly is unknown. But if we knew this, then, obviously, we would have guessed why these people needed to put in so much effort, hollowing out caves and passages in the sacred mountain.

The Chinese have a saying: “If you have visited the five sacred mountains of China, then you don’t have to go to other mountains.” We are talking about Mount Huashan - the center of Taoist religious practices and a place for practicing alchemy. They say that Lao Tzu himself lived here. Not long ago, a complex of mysterious caves was discovered in the depths of Flowering Mountain.

Huashan is called Blooming Mountain because the peaks of this complex of five mountains form a lotus flower. The mountains are located at a distance of approximately 1-2 miles from each other and are oriented according to the cardinal directions: center, south, north, east, west. Mount Huashan - Western sacred mountain. It should be noted that this is an unusually picturesque area, but the climb to the top of the complex is very dangerous.

The paths leading to the peaks are very narrow, winding, 12 km long. Entangling the rocks with their serpentine, they eventually converge in the very high point complex at an altitude of 2,100 m. Basically, only pilgrims decide to make this journey.

In some places they have to cross narrow bridges attached by chains to steep rocks, which requires considerable physical strength and endurance, and most importantly, enviable determination. After all, most wooden bridges were built many centuries ago.

The path leading to the summit passes Taoist monasteries, some of which date back to the 11th century, such as the Yuquan Temple and the palaces of the Yuan Dynasty. But the main part of the buildings is of a later period, dating back to the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Huashan complex was included in the List of Natural Heritage Sites by decision of UNESCO.

SECRETS HIDDEN IN THE MOUNTAIN

Unusual and inaccessible mountain Huashan has become even more famous today thanks to its grandiose man-made caves, found in it at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. Everyone who was lucky enough to see them unanimously considers the caves one of the wonders of the world. These unique dungeons in the rocks of the southern part of Anhui Province (China) east of the city of Tunxi were accidentally discovered in 1999.

They were discovered by a local peasant who was so amazed by what he saw that he felt it necessary to report his discovery to the authorities. And he was not mistaken: the caves called into scientific world a real sensation. Scientists, researchers, journalists and tourists flocked to the Huashan region.

The caves are located at 30 degrees north latitude, that is, on the same parallel with the pyramids of Giza, sacred mountain Kailash in Tibet and Bermuda Triangle, and, as it were, close this mysterious chain. This arrangement can hardly be considered an accident.

Today, scientists know about 36 caves, but no one knows how many there actually are. The answer to the question remains a mystery: is there a message between them or is each of them an independent structure?

UNDERGROUND COMPLEX

When they conducted a preliminary inspection of the caves, the researchers were struck by the scale of what they saw. Underground complex Mount Huashan exceeded in size all known similar structures. All 36 caves have been assigned serial numbers, and many of them do not yet have names.

For example, the total area of ​​the 2nd and 35th caves exceeded 17 thousand square meters. m. As a rough estimate, 20 thousand cubic meters were removed during their clearing. m of crushed stone and soil and 18 tons of water were pumped out. Three powerful pumps worked there for 12 days. The premises are now open to the public.

Cave number 35 is also called the underground palace. Apparently, such an honorary name was given to it because of its truly royal size. It is located at a depth of 170 m, and its total area is 12,600 square meters. m. The entrance to it is small. To get to this splendor, you need to go through a 20-meter tunnel.

In the middle of the underground palace there are 26 huge stone columns supporting the vaults of the cave. These gigantic pillars are more than ten meters in diameter. As you move into the cave, it seems as if they are diverging, forming a triangle.

The palace is striking not only for this: one of its walls, having a width of 15 m and a length of 30 m, is located at an angle of 45 degrees. Scientists, using infrared rays, were able to establish that this wall was created by nature and is a natural formation.

Here you can also see underground lakes and swimming pools with clear clean water, through which the bottom is visible. Separate halls, stone stairs, bridges across underground rivers... It is curious that all these reservoirs are seven feet below the level of the Xinyang River, which flows in the valley of Mount Huashan. Scientists are also surprised by the strange two-tiered structure with a balcony, from where visitors can see the entire panorama of the cave.

Another cave called Huanxi is also different huge area- 4,800 sq. m with a length of 140 m. Inside it there are several rooms: a spacious hall with columns, swimming pools and several small rooms on two sides of the tunnel.

It should be noted that all underground rooms are multi-tiered and have an irregular, bizarre shape. However, it seems that whoever created all this thought out the details to the smallest detail. More recently, 18 bas-reliefs were discovered in the 2nd and 36th caves.

Couldn't all these stone bridges, stairs, balconies, columns be evidence that the caves are of artificial origin?

HOW?

The fact that the caves were built by people is no longer in doubt. Take, for example, tool marks similar to chisel marks that are visible on the surface of ceilings and walls. But what kind of tool it was that created such grooves, and how the stone was hollowed out: in pieces or completely removed, and whether the ancient builders used scaffolding is still unclear.

Perhaps people simply made the most of what nature had already created. If we assume that the rock was still hollowed out, then they would have to remove at least 100 thousand cubic meters from these places. m of stone! With this amount of rock it is possible to pave a road 240 km long. Actually, the Chinese can do a lot.

The mystery remains where these dumps went, because no traces of the extracted rock were found. Have you built houses? No, all the houses in the area are built of blue stone, and Huashan consists of variegated rock.

The next question that has puzzled scientists is: what technologies did the builders use if the angle of inclination of the internal walls accurately repeats the outer angle of inclination of the mountain and its bends? If they had not done this, they would probably have punched a hole outwards. How did people manage to achieve such an unusual interior? Again, they could not work in complete darkness, which means they somehow illuminated the premises, but no traces of fire or soot were found...

The fact that the caves are completely devoid of echo seems completely surprising; the vaults and walls are designed in such a way that they absorb sounds, ensuring complete silence. For what? Perhaps the echo could interfere with saying the prayer.

FOR WHAT?

It’s surprising that such a large-scale structure is not described anywhere. Only in the manuscript of the Chinese historian of the Han Dynasty (135-87 BC) is there a mention of Mount Huashan, but not of the caves. He wrote that Chinese rulers came to the mountain to pray to the gods and their ancestors there. Perhaps it was in the caves that these prayers were heard, because it is unlikely that the emperors made the difficult path to the top.

The purpose of building the caves remains a mystery to this day. The fact that they were not built for housing is beyond doubt. Then why? Still for meditation and worship? However, they do not contain wall paintings or any deities, so it is doubtful that they served cultic purposes. If these are still ancient temples, then what rituals were performed in them, and most importantly, by whom?

Maybe the reason is much more prosaic and they were simply quarrying stone there? But why complicate the task for yourself? The stone can be mined on the surface of the mountain, and not inside it. They are also not suitable as grain storage due to high humidity.

Or was it some kind of secret object? The location of troops, for example. There are a great many versions you can come up with, but none of them have yet been confirmed by evidence.

IN SEARCH OF TRUTH

The exploration of the caves continues. Scientists are trying to find passages and tunnels that could connect individual rooms. During the research process, new discoveries appear. Thus, ceramic products were discovered, according to experts, created in 265-420. during the Jin Dynasty.

Based on the analysis of stalactites and cave walls, their approximate age- 1,700 years. But it is possible that the caves are much older than scientists assume. A lot of questions have accumulated; researchers will have enough work to do for many years to come.