“Houses upon houses, courtyards within courtyards, caves hidden within caves”

Listed as one of the twelve scenic spots of Xia County, the Duoyun Cave features nine interconnected courtyards, cascading upwards in layers. Ascending from the main gate, one passes through a series of archways, each leading into another courtyard, truly embodying the concept of "houses upon houses, courtyards within courtyards, caves hidden within caves." Initially conceived as a high-altitude vantage point atop the mountain, the Duoyun Cave gradually expanded over the years, following the mountain path and extending outwards on both sides and in all directions, eventually reaching down to the foot of the mountain, forming its present scale. The Duoyun Cave boasts a meticulous layout and ingenious design, with pavilions and towers adapted to the terrain, arranged in a scattered yet harmonious manner, creating a grand and spectacular sight. The existing structures include the North Pole Terrace, the Brush Peak Pagoda, the Three Emperors Pavilion, the Three Sages Hall, the Zhenwu Hall, the Three Kings Shrine (Medicine King, Ox King, Horse King), and the White-Robed Guanyin Shrine, complemented by corridors, side rooms, and Taoist courtyards, forming a magnificent complex of Taoist architecture, praised by experts as a "condensed fairyland, an enlarged bonsai." A poem reads: "Winding spirals ascend step by step, as if soaring through the clouds. Looking back at the path traveled, one has already left behind twelve stories of jade towers." This perfectly captures the essence of Duoyun Cave, nestled at the foot of Jishou Mountain, hidden among the loess ravines, its buildings resembling stacked clouds from afar, entered through a cave with interconnected steps, hence the name "Duoyun Cave" (Piled Cloud Cave). Let us follow the guided route to explore the eight scenic spots praised by Qing Dynasty admirers: the Confluence of Two Streams, Clouds Hidden in Stone Caves, Winding Paths and Stone Steps, Courtyards Overlooking Lush Trees, Morning Rain on the East Tower, Evening Breeze in the West Hall, Moon Lingering on Brush Peak, and the Solitary High Platform. 1. Located east of Duoyun Cave is the Snake Ravine, and to the west is the Tiger Ravine. The two ravines converge southeastward, forming the "Confluence of Two Streams." 2. A 500-year-old Chinese honey locust tree in front of the mountain gate is said to predict the year's weather, earning it the title of "Meteorological Tree," adding a touch of mystery. 3. On the first level, behind the mountain gate, are two large and spacious courtyards, with the Hedong Special Committee Exhibition Hall on the left. 4. Crossing the moon gate, one must enter a cave and climb. The cave is about one meter wide and less than two meters high, serving as the only passage to the upper level, known as "Clouds Hidden in Stone Caves." It is also the only "sandstone cave" in the country formed within sandstone as a natural entrance and exit. 5. On the second level, exiting the sandstone cave leads to a small courtyard with a granary, mill, well (equipped with a secret passage used by Jia Kangjie to evade enemy capture), and firewood kiln. This courtyard connects to other courtyards in different directions, fully demonstrating the architectural marvel of "courtyards within courtyards" in Duoyun Cave. The west courtyard, with the inscription "Admire the Cinnabar Terrace" on its lintel, serves as a red education base, marking the site of the "Commoners' Middle School" founded by Jia Kangjie in 1928. The courtyard displays the revolutionary history of Hedong, the life story of revolutionary martyr Jia Kangjie, his relics, and precious photos. The north-facing cave dwelling with one door and two windows was historically called the "Firewood Kiln," used by Taoists to store firewood. Today, it is commonly known as the "Three-Turn Cave." During the Hedong Special Committee's clandestine activities, this cave was ingeniously transformed into a "secret printing house" with three rooms, a hidden passage, and a small chamber, connected by tunnels. The most secretive part is a small chamber within a wall cabinet, concealed behind a deity statue, containing printing tools such as wax plates, mimeographs, paper, and ink. 6. On the third level, ascending the passage, one can see the existing stone carving "Panoramic View of Duoyun Cave," depicting the cave's scenery during its heyday. The Ancestral Hall enshrines a statue of Qiu Chuji, the founder of the Longmen School of Quanzhen Taoism; the Origin Shrine houses the memorial tablets of the five patriarchs of Quanzhen Taoism. 7. On the fourth level, the building at the back of the courtyard is called the "Kiln Courtyard," named after the kiln within. Its unique feature is the kiln within a courtyard, and a kiln within the kiln. This "cave within a cave" is one of the three major architectural wonders of Duoyun Cave. During Jia Kangjie's time as principal, he used this space as his office. Today, it still preserves revolutionary relics such as the long table and wooden bed used by Jia Kangjie. The Kiln Courtyard serves as both a transit point and a resting place for visitors exploring the upper and lower levels. From here, one can access higher courtyards in both east and west directions. Visitors often find themselves disoriented here, hence the saying, "The layout of Duoyun Cave is profound, its paths winding and hard to find. A moment of inattention can lead to getting lost and bewildered." The two-story courtyards on the east and west sides of the Kiln Courtyard are the "Scripture Study Pavilion" and the "Scripture Storage Pavilion," respectively, corresponding to the "Morning Rain on the East Tower" and "Evening Breeze in the West Hall" among the eight scenic spots of Duoyun Cave. 8. On the fifth level, ascending through the east courtyard cave, one finds the "Laozi Shrine," dedicated to the Taoist founder Laozi, and the "Zhenwu Hall," dedicated to the Zhenwu Emperor. 9. "Winding Paths and Stone Steps" refers to the ascending path behind the Zhenwu Hall. Due to the significant elevation change and limited space, ancient architects designed the climbing path in an L-shape to maximize space utilization. 10. On the eighth level, the highest courtyard of Duoyun Cave, stands the Three Purities Hall, enshrining the Three Pure Ones: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun. On either side of the hall are the bell and drum towers (visitors can ring the bell and beat the drum for photos). On the west side is the "Official Wealth Room," shaped like a large coffin, wider at the head and narrower at the foot, symbolizing promotion and wealth. Behind the Three Purities Hall is a 200-square-meter V-shaped observation plaza. 11. The Brush Peak Pagoda in the courtyard is a hexagonal brick tower, resembling a writing brush pointing towards the sky. It was built to balance the architectural complex and enhance feng shui during the construction of Duoyun Cave. Legend has it that it was favored by Chang'e, the moon goddess, who would pause here to use it for applying makeup whenever the moon rose to this point, hence the name "Moon Lingering on Brush Peak." From the pagoda courtyard, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the "Confluence of Two Streams," the first scenic spot of Duoyun Cave. 12. On the ninth level, "Solitary High Platform," is the highest point of Duoyun Cave – the North Pole Terrace, about ten meters high, used by Taoist priests throughout history for observing the sky and celestial phenomena. 13. On the seventh level, descending the steps on the right side from outside the Three Purities Hall courtyard, and reaching the middle of the "Winding Paths and Stone Steps," one arrives at the "Three Officials Hall," dedicated to the three deities of heaven, earth, and water (Yao, Shun, and Yu), the smallest of the twelve courtyards. 14. On the sixth level, continuing downwards, one reaches the "Guanyin Shrine," dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva. Guanyin Bodhisattva, originally named Avalokitesvara, was shortened to "Guanyin" during the Tang Dynasty to avoid the name of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin. During the Song Dynasty, Buddhism was integrated into Taoism, and Guanyin became known as Guanyin Dashi. Quanzhen Taoism further advocated the unity of the three religions, hence the place where Guanyin is enshrined is called the "Dashi Shrine." The "Horse and Ox Kings Shrine" houses statues of the Horse King and Ox King.