Guyaju Caves are the ruins of a cave complex situated 92 km northwest of Beijing , in Yanqing District , China.
The community’s origins are still mysterious due to uncertainty about its founder and disappearance, The Guiaju Cliffside Caves 92 km northwest of Beijing are known as the largest cliff dwelling ever found in China, and also as “China’s largest labyrinth.”
There are over 117 small caves. Stone steps and staircases were used to connect different levels, and inside fireplaces, wardrobes, beds and a manger made of stone were found. At the highest level of the cave, a two-story stone house was found with furniture that may have belonged to a tribal chief.
The site can be divided into two parts, the front ditch and the back ditch, all facing east and west, covering an area of 1.5 square kilometers, and the area of caves is 3,931 square meters. From the entrance to the ground, there is a stone ladder of more than 10 meters long.
In May 2013, Yanqing Guyaju was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit, and that month Guyaju carried out a rock mass protection project.
Access : Coordinates: 40.465556, 115.768889 / The Guiaju Cliffside Caves located 92 km northwest of Beijing.
Highlights :
- Houses and worship halls are carved from the rock face. The cave chambers are arranged close to each other and in some places cut at different levels from the same cliff face so that they look like multi-storey buildings.
- The settlement is thought to have been founded by Mongolians Kumo Xi during the Liao Dynasty.
- Another theory is that the complex was built by criminals on the run or by officials as a military garrison during the Tang Dynasty.
- There are 350 rooms in the 117 cave complexes. The Palace of the Chieftain is located at the bottom of one of the complex rock faces, this more elaborate room has 8 rooms and is supported by sliced columns made of rock.
There are stone kangs, stone stoves, flues, window holes, lamp stands, etc., and stone troughs for collecting rainwater are cut out on the roof.
Go next : The village of Dongmenying / Badaling, a restored section of the Great Wall / The Longqing Gorge located in the village of Gucheng / The town of Yongning.
