The Mystery of Tianmen Cave's Opening
The Mystery of Tianmen Cave's Opening: A natural stone gate opened in the precipice of Tianmen Mountain, breathing clouds, mist, thunder, and lightning year-round, full of the mystery of heavenly palaces. Historical records state: In the eleventh month of the sixth year of Yong'an in the Wu Kingdom of the Three Kingdoms (263 AD), with a earth-shattering crash, people found that Yunmeng Mountain opposite the city had collapsed on one side, and the stone cave that once showed only a sliver of sky suddenly became...
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The Mystery of Tianmen Cave's Opening
On the cliff of Tianmen Mountain, a natural stone gate has opened, breathing clouds, mist, thunder, and lightning throughout the year, full of the mystery of heavenly palaces and imperial pavilions. Historical records state: In the sixth year of Yong'an of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (263 AD), in the eleventh month, with a earth-shattering roar, people discovered that Yunmeng Mountain opposite the city had collapsed on one side, and the stone cave that originally showed only a sliver of sky suddenly became a gate-through cave. The history books record it thus: "Its cave opened, dark and bright like a gate, three hundred zhang high, two hundred zhang wide. The emperor considered it an auspicious sign, and divided Wuling to establish Tianmen Commandery." The name Tianmen Mountain spread throughout the land from then on. In the seventh year of Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty (1627 AD), Tianmen Mountain collapsed again, forming the current Tianmen. That collapse caused the Tianchi (present-day Chita Village, Yongding District) in the western part of Tianmen Mountain to breach its dam, and the flood roared down, breaking through the Xixi River and changing its course. The "Yongding Local Annals" records: "The water of Xixi was named for flowing west in ancient times. In the seventh year of Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty, the stream shifted north to Duzhi Rock, and the river was no longer the old Xixi." Because the Tianchi water could not drain smoothly for a time, the flood submerged the Second Buddha Hall of Puguang Zen Temple. The "Cili County Annals" also records this flood disaster: "In the seventh year of Tianqi of Emperor Xizong, great floods struck the north of the city, Pipa Island was severed, boats traveled in the city, and many people drowned..." This is the famous "Tianqi Disaster" in history. Folk legend says: "In the seventh year of Tianqi, Tianchi collapsed, Tianmen broke, Xixi changed course."
Regarding the mystery of Tianmen Cave's opening, there are various explanations: The "Hunan Earthquake History" (1980 edition) considers it "a natural variation similar to an earthquake." The "Hunan Provincial Geography Annals" (1962 edition) asserts that the formation of Tianmen Mountain "is a remnant of a Tertiary ancient karst cave," and states that "in the mountains south of Tianmen Mountain at an altitude of about 1000 meters, caves also develop." Geologist Mr. Qin Gongjiong believes it is the result of "funnel" dissolution, similar to the provincial geography annals' view. But no matter how it is explained, judging from the gentle passage over 30 meters long, a collapse would not be so neat and fitting. Without exaggeration, it is more regular than artificial excavation, and can only be explained by "supernatural workmanship" and "incomprehensible."