Shuilian Cave: A Mythical Landmark in Lianyungang

Shuilian Cave, situated in the scenic Mount Huaguo in Lianyungang City, has gained international fame due to its association with the classic Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West.’ It is said that Wu Cheng’en, the author of the novel, was inspired by this very cave. In the narrative, it provides an early mythological setting for the character Sun Wukong. While there are many caves named Shuilian Cave across China, this one predates the popularity of ‘Journey to the West,’ having been named before the novel’s widespread circulation. During the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Chaorui, a native of Haizhou, mentioned in an inscription for Sanyuan Palace that Shuilian Cave was a must-visit for pilgrims.
The four large characters ‘Gao Shan Liu Shui’ inscribed on the stone wall were written by the then-governor of Haizhou, Wang Tong, in the 23rd year of the Jiajing era (1544), well before ‘Journey to the West’ was published. Shuilian Cave is a natural fissure cave with an artificial tunnel leading to a lower platform. The cave entrance boasts many precious inscriptions, including ‘Yinxin Shiwu,’ which was personally written by the Qing Emperor Daoguang and bestowed upon Tao Shu, a high-ranking official.

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It is said that in the 12th year of the Daoguang era (1832), Tao Shu was dispatched to Haizhou to reform the salt administration, achieving remarkable success that turned the Qing dynasty’s treasury from deficit to surplus, leading to a brief period of revival. As a result, the emperor honored him with the title written for his study. Three years later, Tao Shu returned to Haizhou as a special envoy to inspect the effectiveness of the salt reform and initiated the restoration of the Yuntai Mountain Temple, significantly transforming the local scenic area.

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To commemorate his achievements, the locals placed the imperially written ‘Yinxin Shiwu’ near Shuilian Cave.

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The characters ‘Ling Quan,’ meaning ‘spiritual spring,’ were written by the then-governor Shi Liangcai during the Jiaqing era, referring to a small square well inside the cave. Despite its modest size, the well is perennially filled with water, never drying up even during severe droughts. Folklore suggests that it is connected to the Dragon Palace of the East Sea. The opening hours are from March 1st to November 30th, 07:00 to 18:00; and from December 1st to February 28th, 08:00 to 17:00.

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