Golden Lion Cave in Yichang
Having formed over a period of over a million years, Golden Lion Cave is yet another one of the majestic wonders associated with the Yangtze River, occurring about 16-17 kilometres northwards of Yichang County's Xiaoxi Tower, and getting its name from the antic rock formation which resembles the shape of a lion carved out in the limestone rock.
All the wonders of what a little bit of mineral rock formations can create, with over a million years in the making, will take a bit of time to take in and really appreciate, so a time period of about 2 hours should be set aside to really explore all corners of the Golden Lion Cave.
There is plenty of value to come out of your visit to this antic attraction, especially if you are lucky enough to catch the tour guide early on when the enthusiasm about all the information you might be interested in is still at its peak.
Highlights
Like all other popular Chinese tourist attractions, there simply has to be a story behind what the eye sees, and as the story goes behind why the "lion rock", resembled by a rock that literally looks like a roaring lion, seems to have lost its tail, the prolonged deployment of the lion's tail to fend off the irritation of the insects (mosquitoes) caused the lion to eventually lose the use of its tail.
Arguably the highlight of all the rock formations to be enjoyed in the Golden Lion Cave is that of the screen-like structure which bisects the main hall, accounting for the various divisions, each with different sizes, but there is no doubt about the fact that each corner of the cave has something which will definitely intrigue the eye.
Not to be missed is the newly-opened tourist point, now giving the public access to the underground cave, of which the main feature is the Pearl Cliff with a very distinctive rockwork resonance, enjoyed as sort of a hidden underground treasure just waiting to be discovered.
How to Get There
After taking a subway or bus to Yiching Station, which connects the major surrounding areas where most tourists are likely to be based, you can get to the Golden Lion Cave by a special bus that particularly services this popular tourist attraction which won't be hard to miss since it specifically services the Golden Lion Caves area.
Operating Time: 08:00 - 17:00
Entrance Fees: 20 Yuan
